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

[workingslacker]

[ Well, for a moment Cale thinks that maybe the other man is actually going to just settle in and actually soak in some of the warmth himself after digging around in the mud. Yet Phainon most certainly gets his point across, doesn't he? Someone is a little sharper than that initial smile would imply. Choi Han isn't too different, though at this point Cale wonders if the man just knows how to read him and the direction of his thoughts at this point. The difference here being Choi Han isn't self-sacrificial to save others. Or he hadn't been in the novel Kim Rok Soo had been reading before finding himself as Cale. Things have changed quite a bit from the original contents now.

Usually his responses when directly accused of things are to stay silent or to smile. Let people believe what they want. Phainon isn't accusing directly, but is far more clever in his approach. Cale could be glib, he supposes. Smile and beam and act like the arrogant son of a Count that he does to maintain this image of "being trashy" and self-absorbed. It could work - ]

I don't believe in things such as gods. Or maybe it's more accurate to say that I don't believe in them enough to back down from how I want to live.

[ He places one hand on his hip in thought. A smile forms on his features, yes, but it is one of those bright ones. Smiles that he saves for people that he wants to not think too much of him. Cale's never wanted to be powerful. Only strong enough to survive. Anything else brings unpleasant attention. ]

Any gifts I have were not of their doing either. [ AKA he sought them out on his own, thank you. ] I do with them what I please.

[ But then Cale looks out to where people are likely struggling with the wind, rain, and seeking shelter. There's a chill that is creeping into the air. The Resort doesn't always play it safe, as he's been told. Perhaps they are about to find out exactly how. ]

Light provides warmth, but also serves as a guide. It can be a beacon that directs the path of others. [ Cale glances back towards Phainon. ] A light can sometimes be too intense in its fervor, causing people to stumble just as much as they would be if they were in darkness.

[ Which is really the real answer. Cale will provide opportunities and show a way out of a situation - in this case struggling with tents that are inevitably unsuited - but not involve himself directly. Other have to figure it out themselves. ]

[greatestworks]

[ Phainon comes from a very unique perspective - a realm of tangible gods as flawed and terrific as the men who steal their holy fire, and a lonely pilgrimage of suffering compounded over epochs innumerable. He can only call things as he sees it, and he's read the room wrong on more than one occasion.

He almost speaks on the heels of Cale's admonishment, only to pause, realizing: ] ...Oh.

[ All at once, he's reminded of Lady Goldweaver, and her decisive, incisive observations, cutting to the heart of a matter as easily as a seamripper parts thread. He sees what he's getting at, the lesson Cale seeks to impart has brought clarity to the man's eyes, but even if he sees the full picture, he can no sooner deny his nature than he can will his heart to cease beating. His nose emits a soft exhale, amused, or perhaps nostalgic. ]

You remind me of someone.

[ He would surely object to being compared with anyone. That's not Phainon's intent, but rather, he sees the kind intent, even if Cale's delivery... ]

His tongue was as harsh as the lash, but his truth... came from a heart of kindness.

[workingslacker]

[ Initially, Cale does expect something to be said. That he's too harsh, not considerate of others, selfish, etc. Not very flattery words. Cale would have just accepted it and just stand there while the other man does what he wants. There had never been any intention from stopping him in the end. So to say that Cale is pleasantly surprised that the opposite happens. Phainon is certainly clever.

It's good to see, actually. Again, not that Cale would argue or stop him from rushing off at this point. People shouldn't deny who they are at heart. Only... Fully understand what it is that they are doing. ]

I was going to say the same to you.

[ But then he just. Bristles a little. Having his words and manner of speaking and approach being "harsh" is fine. Cale gets that. But to be called out on doing it out of kindness?

Blasphemy. ]

...Now I'm not sure where you're getting that from.

[greatestworks]

[ Phainon's hand tightens, a companionable rub is given Cale's arm before he lets go; he won't press, only answering his bristle with a smiling look that knows, or assumes he does, too much to be fooled.

He changes the subject, seizing on something he had said just a moment earlier, as he eases back into the chair he had left behind, extending his muddy legs closer to the fire. The feel of it drying on his skin is unpleasant, and he could easily let the downpour cleanse him, but a little discomfort is well worth the salve of speaking with this stranger is to his loneliness. ]

Is it someone from whatever distant shore you drifted in from?

[ Not that any of them are survivors of some cosmic shipwreck, that he knows of, it's just his way, waxing poetic when it isn't even necessary. ]

A common refrain.

[workingslacker]

[ Oh. Oh that is a squeeze and a rub. Not as flashy as a certain crown price, but Cale is certainly getting some vibes. But at least Phainon doesn't take it further by hugging. Cale can at least clasp Phainon's forearm in return - friendly, companionable! - before drawing back and finding a chair for himself to sit in.

He doesn't look uncomfortable in this environment. The rain and mud and wind don't bother Cale. He just folds one leg over the other and crosses his arms over his chest. ]

Hmm. [ That's a yes. It is someone from back home. ] He's a person who can't stand injustice. I wouldn't say he's someone that is all smiles, but he has a calm outward demeanor. You just don't ever want to fight him.

[greatestworks]

Sooo, [ replies Phainon, and there's no mistaking that his interest is piqued; his blue eyes bright in the firelight. ] You're saying he's strong?

[ He might be a mess, legs splattered with dark mud and his hair drying into a mess, but if one had to hazard a guess, he didn't get all that rugged muscle sitting around a campfire chatting up strangers. Phainon crosses his arms, but brings one hand speculatively up to rest his chin on his fist. ] Why, I consider it a compliment to be compared with such an upstanding example!

[ Are you complimenting him, Cale? His smile drops a few degrees, from brightly mischievous to more casual levels. ] I'm teasing.

...It's only natural to think of the people dear to you when apart.

[workingslacker]

[ Cale understands that someone with Phainon's particular physique is someone that likely trains. In what? Well he can't tell that just by looking. But why is it strong people are always interested in other strong individuals so they can throw punches? He assumes that Phainon would want to fight.

Still, he's making a face at that. And the whole "I consider it a complement." ]

I'm not sure you are teasing, exactly. Why is it that some people are just obsessed with pitting themselves against someone with that "are they strong?" question?

[ He shakes his head. ]

He's likely one of the strongest in the world and absolutely terrifying. [ Cale gets chills just thinking about Choi Han's strength. ] So now I'm wondering if the comparison isn't even more apt.

[ Well. Cale isn't denying that he is thinking of the people dear to him. Choi Han is scary, yes, but also one of his people. ]

[greatestworks]

[ The flash of Phainon's smile, eyes alight with enthusiasm as Cale accurately reads him to filth in 4k, says everything he probably needs to know. Yep... he's one of those muscleheads who love to test his mettle against others. He just also happens to prefer them on the bulkier and more rugged side.

He laughs, though the sound of it is drowned out by the thundering rain. It's lightening up out there, but only since it's no longer dumping buckets, but remains the kind of downpour where every fat drop stings. The dirt gutters gurgle, muddy water sluicing around the outskirts of their tent. ]

Haha! Sounds like you admire him, [ Phainon's eyes move to the fire, the curve of his smile softening.

He's not intentionally dodging his speculations, he's just... thinking. Resting his elbow on the arm of the camping chair, he places his fist against the side of his head, his gaze lowering to the fire. ] I knew someone like that, too.

A magnificent warrior, a beast on the battlefield, and... the guardian of our world. Except, [ he adds with a wan smile ] you'd be hard-pressed to catch him smiling.

[workingslacker]

[ Oh. Yes. Yes, this guy is certainly one of those types. He just sparkles a little where Choi Han prefers to be a little on the silent side. ...Well, at least around certain people. Okay so Choi Han is calm and respectful around Cale and two others, but to everyone else he's sharper, ruder. But Cale isn't aware of this

Admire him though? Cale looks off to the side and scoffs. ]

Not at all. Being strong like that just brings trouble and burdens like responsibilities and expectations. I want nothing to do with that.

[ So says the man that started a fire that the rain couldn't put out, right? Cale's only ever wanted to be "moderately" strong, thanks. ]

It sounds to me... [ His own red-brown eyes are sliding back to Phainon. Cale is taking note of the posture, the look in Phainon's eye. Paying attention to what he is saying and not saying as well as tone of voice. ] You admire this "guardian" of yours.

[greatestworks]

[ Burdens like responsibilities and expectations, huh? To call them burdens is not wrong, but it is telling. Avoiding them is... not a bad way to live, if one has the luxury.

Phainon had wanted that for the other Chrysos Heirs; the fulfillment of each beautifully selfish wish, their rightful reward after their many sacrifices. He likes to believe that every person would both cherish an uneventful, but fulfilling life, as much as they would strive to protect the ones most dear to them. For some, the calling simply hasn't come yet. For others, their heroism is not found in the brandishing of a sword against countless foes, but in standing up against injustice, in caring for their fellow man.

With his fist partially obscuring his face, the firelight catches on the fan of his lashes as he blinks, his profile bathed in that red-gold light. His other hand lifts, gesturing at the sparks that whirl and dance over the campfire, his voice conveying admiration...

And a longing for the past. ]

On the day that we met, we fought day after day without cease. Where his fists struck, the shockwaves alone shattered stone. He was fearless and proud, treasured above all the pride and safety of his people, and... he was my best friend.

[workingslacker]

[ People don't usually stop and think about why it is that Cale might call those things burdens. Mostly, people think that Cale just wants to be lazy and not do anything ever. Of course, those close to him just think that he is a kind person who doesn't really want credit for his actions. That his bristling is an act. Cale genuinely thinks of himself as a person who is not not a scoundrel...

The reality is that Kim Rok Soo only ever carried out his job. He used what abilities that he had back then for his team members, watched them die, and then lead his own team.

Now Cale almost stops him from speaking further. He most certainly should because he can tell by now that he is going to discover something that he. Probably. Doesn't want to know. This is only confirmed by how Phainon's voice shifts.

Well shit. Yes, yes there is a story there and Cale drops his head back against the chair. His eyes close as he just doesn't stop himself from pointing out the obvious. ]

Was.

[ Augh. He hates himself for asking. Maybe Phainon won't discuss it further and they can move on! That would be lovely. Maybe it was just a falling out? He's not even sure what he's doing, engaging in this further. ]

[greatestworks]

Was.

[ Lifting his head from his fist, his blue eyes pick out Cale's face in the firelight, and, seeking to reassure, he elaborates.

...Or more like obfuscates. ]

Don't misunderstand! [ he adds, not exactly brightly, ] We are a long way from all the places we've known. If I can engrave deep into my heart the memories of the people I cherish, then we are never apart.

[ He tosses the proverbial ball back to Cale. ]

You agree, don't you? You strike me as someone carrying a few fond memories yourself.

[workingslacker]

[ It doesn't provide any clarification, but the lack there of does make him wonder. Not enough to pursue, exactly, but wonder why there is a need to "explain" or "elaborate" like that.

No, Cale doesn't relate either. He had purposefully distanced himself from people to avoid just those sorts of attachments. Yet doesn't realize that he has, actually, formed those connections in the last two years. ]

Everyone carries fond memories. [ Which can be painful. ] I wouldn't know anything about something so poetic as engraving them deeply into my heart or whatever.

[ Cale isn't looking at Phainon, eyes glancing off to the side. Yes, he is aware of how cold that makes him sound. Dismissive, really. ]

If you're always carving out portions for others, then what parts do you save for yourself? When do you cross the line of only ever being a living memory and actually living?

[greatestworks]

[ Dismissive, yes. Cold? Also yes. But Phainon doesn't think that lines up with the sort of man who is left coughing discreetly after conjuring up blessed fire that no amount of rain can extinguish. Or advises a stranger against foolish actions that, in the grand scheme, do little about the meaningful struggles of those around them. Reminders that there was a whole city of people behind him who needed to be saved.

In Cale, he's reminded of Professor Anaxa's sharp but well-meaning tongue, Lady Aglaea's shrewd perspective, and Mydei's prickly kindness. All of them are people he sorely misses, but this recollection brings him some rare, if undeserved, comfort.

It's why Phainon starts to laugh it off, though the sound deflates in his lungs.

He shakes his head, leaning it towards the shoulder of the arm presently propped up on the chair's armrest. Although he's taken aback - this is not even the first time in this conversation the stranger has almost struck the words out of his mouth - he isn't offended, and even his riposte is warmed by good humor. ]

You know... if you're going to keep needling me, [ he says, winking, ] the least you could do is introduce yourself properly.

[workingslacker]

[ Don't call him out, Phainon. Choi Han and some others might get away with it - and leave Cale stumped and confused - but he'll fight someone to maintain this image. The imagine that he believes is accurate. How he can be so confident but view himself so poorly is such a contradiction. His eyes gradually slide back towards Phainon. He expects some sort of rebuttal or counter argument.

Instead he gets that laugh and Cale bristles a little. He knows what sort of laughter that is. Cale just doesn't know what he said that has earned it and the "needling" comment with a wink. He hadn't been doing that? Cale genuinely believes that he had just been speaking his mind in the most blunt way possible. ]

I wasn't needling. [ Why does this keep happening? ] It's just my opinion.

[ Scoffing! It's not a defensive statement. Cale genuinely believes that he had just been speaking his mind without reservation or care about what words he's using. Which is probably a hint about his own experiences, isn't it?

What he can agree on, however, is that it's probably rude to not introduce himself since Cale kind of just invited himself into Phainon's space. That's why he unfolds his arms. One rests on the arm of the chair and the other rubs at his temple slightly. ]

Cale Henituse is my name.

[greatestworks]

[ Being deliberately provocative might not have been entirely fair to Cale, but it gets him to the result he wanted, and hopefully, Phainon hasn't offended him too much in the process. Cale Henituse..? The names he encounters in this place just keep getting more and more... exotic. ]

Well met, [ he answers, lifting a hand from his chair to wave it at him, as though hitting reset on a conversation that had grown heavy - his own fault - before they'd properly introduced themselves, ] I'm Phainon of Aedes Elysiae.

[ Leaning forward, he places his elbows on his thighs, loosely threading his fingers together before his knees. As his head tips away, he angles a lopsided smile at Cale, ] I should have started there, forgive me.

Tell me, Lord Cale, are you a new guest, as I am?

[workingslacker]

[ Me makes a face at "lord." Not entirely inaccurate but also - ]

Just Cale is fine. [ Really, it is. There's really no use for formalities in this place. ] I'm certainly not going to say "Phainon of Aedes Elysiae" every time I wish to address you. There's also nothing to forgive.

[ Definitely not "lord" or "mister" either. Cale doesn't consistently treat people with that amount of respect unless there's something to be gained by it. Or they've earned it. ...And then Alver because Cale gets a kick out of the face the Prince makes.

His shifts, but only so his elbow can rest on the arm of the chair. Cale then rests his cheek on the palm of his hand. Is he a new guest? Yes, that's a better question in the end. ]

I am not new, but newer. [ Cale throws out a smile. ] When I first got here, someone told me I may or may not stick around. Which do you prefer?

[greatestworks]

[ Stick around? There’s a deeper meaning here, and Phainon seizes on the opportunity to discuss it. It helps, that Cale makes a point of noting the distinction between new and newer.

He looks at the fire, bent forward, his laced fingers before him, casting dancing shadows over his bare chest. ] Which do I prefer?

Does that not imply that any of us has a choice?

[ He says it lightly, as though cracking a joke, but the weight of it sits leaden in his gut.

Miss Cipher doesn’t have a choice. Dan Heng… Phainon knows what he would choose, surely, his love for the Nameless enduring and fathomless. And as for him-

He’d rather not be the subject of this conversation at all. ] Anyway, what a careless thing to say to someone! Did you take it with this much grace?

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Preference matters, even if we have little choice in the end.

[ It's all about outlook, after all. He hadn't had a choice in becoming Cale Henituse nor had he a choice in coming here. Rather than sit there and complain about how it isn't his choice, he had decided to just make the most of what he had at the present. Thus his preference, weighing his options and figuring out what he wanted, gave him a little more agency. ]

Is it really careless, though? What if being here means that you're reunited with someone long gone? What if you are the one that is no longer alive? People all have their own situations and being here might be the only way that they can escape them.

[ So don't be so quick on that one, Phainon of Aedes Elysiae. It's not really that careless of a question, depending on who it comes from. ]

Personally, I just want to live a relatively quiet life without having to work too hard for it. I can achieve most of that here.

wheezes 3.4 spoilers if you squint again

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[ Only Phainon's eyes move, a glint beneath the snowy veil of his hair, betraying the moment when he stops gazing with seeming contentment at the fire that warms them to Cale, seated a short distance away. His true feelings can't be summed up by the inoffensive smile that gently curves his mouth; it's just the mask he wears - to put others at ease - while Cale speaks of preferences and choice.

Phainon can count those who share in a forbidden knowledge - about the nature of Amphoreus, about its inhabitants - with but one hand and still have fingers left uncounted. Just the knowledge alone makes him an island, isolated by his reluctance to tear the comforting veil off the eyes of the likes of Cipher.

But to him, this place... it's no different a prison than the one he's just left, and them, no more free and real than before.

So... 'reunion', 'escape'... even 'alive'... Phainon hasn't been here long and already, faces rise behind his eyelids at each word. He doesn't trust that the laugh threatening to bubble up from him will sound like something he regrets.

Cale is... the kind of man who could be dangerous.

And the kind of man with a beautiful wish. ]

A quiet life of ease, [ he repeats thoughtfully. As he exhales softly through his nose, that smile gentles, broadens a little. It sounds decadently self-indulgent. ] That's not a bad wish, Cale. May Kephale engrave it on their heart, and carry it on unto tomorrow.

What does your 'quiet life' look like? [ he flips a hand towards the rainy day, which, as far as things go, isn't a catastrophe unless one doesn't know what a catastrophe actually feels like. ] This? It seems pretty noisy to me.

right now phainon is just one big 3.1-3.4 spoiler. it's fine

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[ All the while, Cale is watching him. As a man who wears a mask himself ( many masks, really, since he does what is needed to get optimal results ), he doesn't really take Phainon's expression at face value. The evidence that Phainon is very much not carefree and endlessly joyful is through the mud caked on his person and the damp and dripping hair that still clings to his face.

Though the smile that Cale wears does soften. "Not a bad wish." Now he doesn't know anything about this Kephale or carrying anything on unto tomorrow, but he does know that many people don't actually understand what that wish means.

Ironic that Phainon seems to.

To him, to Kim Rok Soo that is his soul, it can only mean a life without the ceaseless struggling to fight against the end. It means no more losing those that he connects with his parents, mentors, friends, teammates through unfortunate means. Cale wraps it up tightly with a ribbon of selfishness and laziness so that people don't understand the true weight of it. Sometimes it's so that he, himself, doesn't have to acknowledge the one thing that really drives him - to not die alone.

No one's asked him what this life looks like, though Cale has shared it, in part, with a select few. Since Phainon is not writing him off... ]

It doesn't look like this. [ Cale admits that much. ] What I envision is a place, maybe a little villa in the middle of nowhere, that houses myself and the children with some of our party. There, we can carry out our lives in peace without shouldering the weight of responsibility. They can come and go as they please, naturally, since I wouldn't want to stand in the way of any ambitions that they have, but it would always be something that they can return to.

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[ The 'unnecessary' part of his introduction houses the very definition of that innocent life - Aedes Elysiae, with its idyllic and simple beauty, exemplifies a quiet and fulfilling life. There are plenty who might disagree, chafing in the frontierland of Amphoreus. But, to him, it will ever be that precious and unspoiled place in some corner of his heart.

He has traveled the length and breadth of Amphoreus, has both tried to do the right thing (and all the wrongs that stood a chance to get them to the right path), and he has heard the countless wishes of its people. Who is he to turn his back on one more?

Carry out our lives in peace without shouldering the weight of responsibility. ]

This wish might be shared by any son or daughter of Amphoreus. Which, ha ha, doesn't surprise me one bit! [ Phainon relates, chuckling, his smile conveying the warmth brought on by the image Cale evokes. He scratches his cheek as he admits. ] But- that peace has to be won. Supported... by the many or the one.

[ When he closes his eyes, between the afterimages printed in them by the flickering flames, he pictures it. Gray hair, eyes like burnished brass. ] I'm speaking of heroes, of course.

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[ Cale is still mindful of the expressions on the other man's face. It doesn't seem that the reaction is masked this time around. He wonders, then, if Amphoreus is a country or something else. Aedes Elysiae is likely a home town...

This time it's Cale's turn to have a reaction. Mostly a scoff at the mention of "heroes." Phainon has no idea. The book that Kim Rok Soo had fallen asleep reading had been called "The Birth of a Hero." It's not wrong, of course. People need to act in order to bring about that kind of peace.

Only, this seems a little more personal to Phainon. ]

I would call us successful scammers more than heroes. Anyway, yes. People have to put in the work and effort to reach that point.

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Hahaha!

[ His laughter sounds surprised, but sincere; he clearly hadn't expected Cale to counter his point about heroes with 'scammers'. That invites inquiry, which is why, on the heels of that laugh that tumbles freely out of his mouth, Phainon adds: ] There's a story there. And with Phagousa as my witness, I'd welcome its telling.

I'm afraid we're short on honey brew, or the Titan's blessed ambrosia.

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[ Did he... Did he say something funny? Cale is staring at Phainon a little baffled. He doesn't understand why the other is laughing. ]

Everyone has a story... [ It's just whether or not one party wants to listen while the other one tells it. ] Though you are talking a lot about gods or these Titan's and I don't have any sort of reference for what you could mean.