TDM 12

[goldmods]

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

As a token of appreciation to all of our guests, the house and resort have worked in collaboration with the all powerful system that transmigrates souls between worlds to bring you a special excursion! All are invited to participate in our limited time event, Tits out! A Sex Dungeon! where guests can shop, craft, adventure, treasure hunt, and battle.

During this event, sexual encounters with WILDCARD guests are worth double the payout, so please keep an eye out for our new arrivals! Other supplies, such as typically banned weapons, are also available.

We appreciate our low rank guests temporarily adjusting their living quarters to accommodate this delightful experience. Extra thanks to you for your generosity! 】

WINDING MARKET

A ROOKERY COMES SPRAWLING

A CHARMING MARKET

► The Rookery floods the main lobby and begins construction on the eve of November 15th. This wandering group of merchants has decided to set up shop! From November 15th through January 1st, the Rookery will be operating a marketplace on the ground floor of the Golden Peacock. This marketplace operates at all hours and does not close.

► This once luxurious lobby has transformed into a rustic market. Wooden shops line the walls where eager merchants promote their wares. These little stores are stocked with handcrafted goods, specialty products, and artisanal treats. Unlike general Golden Peacock establishments, shops in the marketplace are willing to haggle and trade.

► Not all of these booths are occupied. Guests interested in selling their crafts or services are welcome to open up shop. The merchants of the Rookery will also hire resort guests looking for work.

CEDAR AND PINE

► This simple marketplace embraces small town charm. The scents of wood and pine meld with freshly baked bread and leather. The echo of a blacksmith striking metal resounds through chatter and laughter. Shopkeepers call and wave from their booths to lure in potential customers.

► Weather simulation has been introduced to the first floor. Snow falls from an artificial sky dotted with lights. This snow looks, feels, and tastes like the real thing. The temperature correspondingly drops to a brisk chill, so bundle up!

► Merchants decorate their shops with winding ribbons, baubles, and bells at the beginning of December. A massive pine tree graces the central square and patrons are invited to decorate it with sparkling ornaments.

Rumor of a gifting tradition spreads, with merchants jumping on board to offer gift wrap with every sale. If you don't give someone you care about a thoughtful present then you must not really like them at all!

SPECIALTY SHOPS

LIMITED TIME WARES

PREPARE FOR DUNGONEERING

► One of the biggest stores in the marketplace is the armorer's shop. It isn't safe to go adventuring in an unexplored dungeon without protection! Come one, come all. The best armor in town is here. The marketeers in the armorer's shop swear their supplies are the best in the business. Well-crafted! Quality materials! Enchanted to ward off the elements!

All available armor is extremely slutty. Every piece has been styled to emphasize the wearer's assets and barely covers anything. Tight, sexy, and functional. Isn't it a win/win for all? Let those tits battle and breathe!

► Guests that follow the sound of clanging metal will find the blacksmith. The front of the shop offers a basic selection of knives, swords, and shields for purchase. While the quality of these weapons is mediocre at best, guests may not want to pass up the opportunity to purchase a weapon while the house is allowing it.

Weapon aficionados may meet with the blacksmith to discuss enhancing the current selection. Special materials can be found in dungeon chests or collected from monsters to improve weapon quality. Guests willing to collect these materials and have the chips to spare can commission superior products.

► Several leather shops are competing for business. One specializes in enchanted leather pouches, another focuses on offering high quality boots. Leather journals make beautiful gifts. What lasts longer than leather clothing? Nothing! Or how about a leather hair accessory for that person with long, flowing locks?

Those browsing through these many leather shops best keep their wits about them. Not all of them are selling real leather! Some greedy merchants are trying to pass off plastic junk as the real thing. A few bold charlatans willing to lie about enchantments to customers that appear uneducated about magic. Do your best to not get swindled!

DRIED AND BAKED SUNDRIES

► The dried goods shop is the most popular amongst adventurers. Those preparing to head down into the dungeon can't leave without supplies, after all! One can find a broad selection of jellies, jams, preserves, cheese, jerky, nuts, and seeds. While they aren't the tastiest, they'll survive for several days in a backpack, which is exactly what every adventurer needs!

► The universe-renowned baking mogul, Mama Brot, has opened a shop selling her famous pretzels. These soft pretzels, nicknamed breastzels, come in both sweet and savory variations. They are deliciously plush and melt in the mouth. It's said that one bite of one of her pillowy breastzels will send you straight to heaven. Dessert and bread connoisseurs cannot miss out!

Guests eager to get their hands on some of Mama Brot's breastzels have their work cut out for them. The shops restocks with fresh breastzels every morning, but the line to purchase starts queuing two hours beforehand. Supply runs out quickly every time Mama Brot decides to whip up a new batch. Good luck!

► Small bakeries peppering throughout the marketplace kick off December with a flurry of decorated cookies. Guests will find cookies and biscuits cut into different shapes, painted with icing, smeared with jam, and drizzled with chocolate. Hot chocolate booths also pop up, their baristas encouraging guests to gather and enjoy the snow by the center market tree with a cozy drink.

JOBS & QUESTS

A MAKESHIFT TAVERN

CALLING ALL ADVENTURERS: A SLAYER QUEST AWAITS!
Are you looking to make big coin? Do you have the strength and endurance to take on the dungeon? Then we want YOU to join our guild's quest to sLay!

The dungeon is teeming with sexy monsters that need sLaying. All you need to do to sLay is to fuck them real good! Once satisfied, these sexy monsters may drop quality loot. Join in the hunt to sLay and consolidate drops with our guild! We're happy to make trades or buy.

Yaaassss sLay all day!

JOB POSTING ONE! BIG PAYOUT FOR EASY WORK!

I am a pharmacist looking for some brave adventurers willing to go down into the dungeon and collect dongle flower milk for me. I need at least 10 bottles! This is an important ingredient in one of my popular prescriptions. I am not athletic enough to go get it myself and my supplies are running low.

Please deliver all dongle flower milk to the medical shop in the northwest corner of the market. Please note, I need FULL bottles. Do not skimp or I won't pay!

JOB POSTING TWO! HELP A WOMAN'S GROWING BUSINESS!

I am a young lady looking to expand my make-up business. I heard rumors that there's water in the dungeon that could make an AMAZING base for make-up products. But it sounds like it's super scary in there and I don't want to go. Please, someone, help!

You can bring all bottles of dungeon water to the make-up booth in the southeast corner of the market. I'm willing to pay in chips or trade some of my current products. My face masks and nail polishes are really good!

JOB POSTING THREE! PLEASE DON'T ASK WHY!

Hello. I need many dungeon slime cores, so I am looking for everyone and anyone willing to go slime hunting and gather some for me. We can negotiate pay based upon the number of slime cores brought. Do not inquire what the slimes or their cores are needed for.

Please bring all slime and slime core deliveries to back door of the Dried and Baked Sundries shop. Thank you!

JOB POSTING FOUR! I WANT COLLECTABLES!

If you're going into the dungeon, I want collectables. If you find that fabled treasure room, bring me back something cool and shiny. I'm willing to pay good money! I don't care what it is as long as it's hard to get and I can brag to my friends about it.

You can find me drinking in the tavern. I'll be wearing expensive velvet and a tiny hat with a feather.

PULL UP A CHAIR

► As a watering hole for adventurers looking for a place to kick back and relax with a hot beer, the tavern is a hot spot at all hours. Crude and sticky, there's never a dull moment at this establishment! Fights break out every night, drinking competitions are the norm, and it's the best place to gather information.

The tavern doubles as an inn, offering a dozen rooms above the bar for adventurers to cool their heels. A night's stay is relatively cheap and costs only a handful of chips.

► Guests can pick up jobs and quests from the tavern's request board. Postings vary in difficulty and payout. Anyone is welcome to pick them up and they can be completed for as long as the dungeon is active.

► Jobs and quests can be completed through the dungeon prompts below. They may be done multiple times. These job posters need a lot of supply!

► Guests can also list their own jobs and quests to the tavern's request board. While the board is typically meant to attract adventurers for hire, guests can advertise their own services this way. The bartender really doesn't care what goes up. She's too busy breasting boobily behind the counter in a corset that hikes her cleavage against her throat.

A WHOLE NEW BASEMENT

GOOD LUCK, NEW ARRIVALS

A TRENDY RENOVATION

► Low rank guests will be delighted to find that the basement has been completely renovated! Basement and maintenance floors have been converted into a realistic dungeon complete with gray stone, torchlight, and the echo of crawling monsters. Low rank suites have been temporarily adjusted to match the aesthetic.

► The communal bathroom has also been styled into a medieval latrine. Low rank guests can now enjoy bonding together over a communal trench and chamber pots. A helpful sign has been posted on the door advising guests to be wary of slimes coming up through the piping.

► Low rank guests that aren't happy with their living arrangements can check out the rooms above the tavern. They need only chat with the bartender and pay a fee for each night they wish to stay. It's up to them whether or not they think a dungeon filled with monsters or a raucous tavern is better for their beauty sleep.

NEW ARRIVALS

► New arrivals find themselves waking in various locations throughout the dungeon. Unlike low rank guests who have dungeon suites, new arrivals wake randomly in the upper and lower levels of the dungeon. Anywhere is fair game.

► New arrivals are considered dungeon monsters. In fact, wildcards are the number one hunted monster for the extremely popular sLaying quest! They'll have to keep on their toes if they don't want to be sexily sLayed.

► Stepping away from resort standard, wildcards wake dressed to embody their role as an erotic dungeon monster. The house knows that its guests have eclectic tastes, so monster costumes range from skimpy strategically placed furs to full body suits.

► What are dungeon monsters without drops? Wildcards will also wake with a pouch of valuables for adventurers to collect. These items can vary from useful ores, gemstones, and chip vouchers to random items like condoms, vegetables, and shiny rocks.

UPPER DUNGEON

START THE DESCENT

FLOOR 1

Heading down the stairs from the marketplace leads to the first floor of the dungeon. This is where all low rank suites have been condensed. Corridors are generally dry and well lit, with twisting ivy and torches lining the walls. Some guests say that it’s an improvement over the previously dreary, dirty basement.

Only a handful of monsters are brave enough to come close to the surface. The ones that do have low IQs and are easily defeated.

---

► Barrels, crates, and chests can be found in corners and intersections. Low value materials, like perishables and basic clothing, can be found inside. This may or may not include the personal items of low rank guests misplaced during renovations. Whoops!

Watch out! Mimic chests love to hide amongst these crates. Opened mimic chests chase nearby guests, desperate to thrust their slimy tongues into any reachable orifice. They’re also quite dumb, happily repopulating areas where other mimics have been beaten. It isn’t uncommon to find a new one where an old one had been just yesterday!

► Sprigs of mistletoe grow over doors and dangle from the ceiling. Nothing happens when someone passes alone. The enchantment is only triggered when two or more people intersect. Those who cross under the mistletoe may find themselves unable to leave its proximity. As if an invisible bubble has appeared, attempts to leave will be rebuffed.

The mistletoe enchantment can only be broken by kissing. Some mistletoe may be satisfied with a brief kiss while others may require its victims to use tongue. Get ready for some smooching!

FLOOR 2

Multiple stairways across the first floor lead down to the second. As guests head down, they will find the temperature dropping and light dimming. The stairwell opens up to a reveal crumbling archways, staggered levels of ruins, and rich moss blanketing over stone.

This dungeon floor has several gaps between ruins and multiple pockets of open space. Old wooden bridges creak in the wind. Leaves flick across, carried on steady breeze. Treasure chests and harpy-like monsters can be found throughout the ruins.

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► Adventurers need to cross multiple bridges to make it to the next portion of the dungeon. However, they will find that they cannot cross these bridges alone. All bridges in this area vanish the moment someone steps out solo. Luckily, falls to the ground are cushioned by a thick blanket of moss.

Adventurers must step forward together, hand-in-hand, in order to cross. Guests that stop holding hands while crossing, hesitate, or mistrust one another will find the bridge vanishing from beneath their feet.

► Wind speeds spike dangerously at random intervals and send the floor into sub-freezing temperatures. During these times, it is advised that adventurers take cover, because they might end up blown away. There are sporadic abandoned campsites in caves and alcoves where guests can wait out the wind.

These campsites serendipitously offer a cozy bedroll. One cozy bedroll. With howling winds knocking out torchlight, the only way to keep warm is to cuddle up and share body heat. Oddly enough, the furious winds only calm down after adventurers snuggle. Weird!

FLOOR 3

Lush vegetation dominates the third floor. Pathways are challenging to follow beneath overgrown flora. Ancient trees twist between crumbling pillars. This dungeon forest is teeming with sexy floral monsters that blend with the brush and provoke adventurers with sensual whispers. Isn’t it amazing how accurate they are in pinpointing your kinks?

Monsters on this floor love to tease and fondle guests passing through. Adventurers cutting through the forest may end up groped by branches, leaves, and flowers. Or more! These floral monsters can get very handsy.

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► Treasure chests can be found throughout the dungeon forest. The floral monsters will try to protect them, but none of the monsters in this area are particularly strong. Wood nymphs seduce guests away from chests and vines will lash out to slap their hands. Chests on this floor are valuable, offering high-quality potions like elixirs and panaceas.

Not all potions are good. Some bottles are decoys that cause unwanted effects. The three most common decoys are love potions, hatemance potions, and flora potions.

LOVE POTION: A magical liquid designed to make the person who drinks it fall in love with the first person they see.

HATEMANCE POTION: A magical liquid designed to make the first person who drinks it fall into hate, coupled with passionate sexual desire, for the first person they see.

FLORA POTION: Liquefied chlorophyll designed to temporarily transform anyone who drinks it into a sexy monster. Monster need not be plant-based.

► An invasive species, the dongle flower, can be found in large number in the center of the forest. This flower’s fleshy petals phallically cone into one another and stand erect from a small cluster of leaves at its base. This flower is mostly known for its milk, which can be collected by pumping its petals. Those unfamiliar with this breed of flora may mistake it for a human penis, but closer investigation will confirm that it is indeed a plant.

Getting to close to the dongle flower comes with risks. This flower is notorious for ejaculating its milk when stimulated. Dongle flowers in close proximity may trigger one another and cause a chain of milk ejaculations. Dongle flower milk has analeptic properties that heighten virility, sensitivity, and sex drive. The more milk, the more potent.

LOWER DUNGEON

HALFWAY DOWN

FLOOR 4

A slope leads the way down to the fourth floor. Adventurers must be careful with their footing to avoid taking a spill because the path is steep and uneven. Why are these stones sticking up so much, anyway?!

Guests not watching their step may end up triggering a trap. After a trick stone sinks beneath their weight, a rumble echoes throughout the dungeon. This echo the ominous prelude to a giant boulder crashing down and rolling after them! (There is a nipple painted on the boulder.)

Those that don’t want to get squashed by the boulder may have to throw themselves off the ledge. Depending on where they decide to jump ship, they will end up in a different chamber designed to test their mettle.

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► CHAMBER ONE: An unfurnished room with no windows or doors. This chamber is deep, making it difficult to try and scale the walls back up to the path. Lone adventurers will end up stuck until someone else joins them, because the trap will not trigger until two or more guests are inside.

Once at least two guests are trapped, spikes spring from two opposing walls. They slowly begin to close in and a booming voice declares: BE EMOTIONALLY VULNERABLE OR DIE!

The floor will give way for guests that comply. Those that do not and cannot get out of the room on their own will be spiked. They may escape with injuries or die. If the latter, they will revive in the Broken Wing clinic.

► CHAMBER TWO: This chamber is divided into multiple parallel rooms. These rooms are designed to facilitate a specific kink between the guests trapped inside. They might be furnished with toys or vacant with only a gloryhole in a partition. Regardless, every room has a door locked shut with a bulky padlock.

After two guests have entered a booming voice declares: EXPLORE KINK OR REMAIN TRAPPED FOREVER!

Padlocks will drop and doors will open for guests that comply. Those that do not are doomed to be trapped forever… or figure a way out through demolition. That disembodied voice is going to be really salty when adventurers realize that last option exists.

FLOOR 5

Water commands the fifth floor. Adventurers must tread through dark and damp tunnels that lead into flooded chambers. Pools and rivers run throughout, with some areas reaching depths of 50 feet. Treasure chests are submerged but are worth the effort, offering ores, metals, and rare stones that can be used to enhance weapons with the blacksmith.

Reverse mermaids live in these waters. They enjoy swimming alongside adventurers and spreading their legs to show off how good they are for fucking.

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► Slimes ooze along the ceiling and plop into the water. They float along like jellyfish, but will direct themselves toward adventurers they sense nearby. Slimes vary in size and color, though the majority are small enough to cup between two hands. The mother slime, a giant slime hidden deep in the depths, occasionally appears to absorb adventurers into her gelatinous body.

Small and deceptively cute, these little monsters are attracted to adventurers and eager to ooze all over them. Different colored slimes and their secretions cause various physical reactions. Slimes can be mixed to create combination effects.

CLEAR SLIME: Clear slime is an aphrodisiac that can also be used as a lubricant.

PINK SLIME: Pink slime amplifies shyness and embarrassment.

PURPLE SLIME: Purple slime triggers sexual aggression and sadistic tendencies.

YELLOW SLIME: Yellow slime may enhance dominate or submissive inclinations.

MOTHER SLIME: Secretions from the mother slime trigger a breeding rut/heat. The more contact one has with the mother slime, the more intense the rut/heat.

► The water in this dungeon has unique properties. Adventurers that soak for long periods of time may find their skin clearing up, their hair becoming shinier, and their features becoming dewy and radiant. This water is imbued with beauty magic that intensifies the sexiness of those who drink or bathe in it. Everything they do, even sneezing or scratching an itch, will be tinted in a pink glow of attractive glamor.

Guests that soak for too long run the risk of becoming powerfully distracting. Beauty can be bewitching, so take care to not charm other adventurers into becoming obsessed admirers, lest you become an unwitting Helen of Troy!

Drinking the water comes with an additional potential side effect. The drinker's voice has a 25% chance of becoming hypnotic. They may be able to entrance others or cause them to orgasm through dirty talk alone.

FLOOR 6

Drying off won't be a problem after getting down to the sixth floor! The temperature jumps to a sweltering degree and light glints off silvery glass. Orange and red flicker and dance. Stepping into the yawning mouth of this massive floor reveals a giant pit of blazing fire beneath a twisting mirror maze.

Muscular minotaurs prowl, prepared to kidnap adventurers and whisk them away to their dens. This maze is also equipped with traps and enchantments designed to redirect guests back to the beginning entrance. Adventurers will need to use creativity and ingenuity to navigate this labyrinth while battling intense heat.

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► Guests can take cover in small chambers at maze corridor intersections. These rooms are also sweltering but, happily enough, there are magical air conditioners available! Two plates on opposite sides of the room must simultaneously be stepped on in order to activate the ice enchantment.

Comfort comes with a price. Something strange happens when magic sparks: the adventurers standing on the activation plates have swapped bodies! They won't be able to switch back immediately, either, because the ice enchantment has a cool down period. Their options are to either wait it out or go find another room with an unused ice enchantment!

► Adventurers that successfully navigate their way through the maze will find a long corridor leading to a massive shining door. They've found the exit down to the treasure room where riches upon riches are waiting. Money, money, money!!

Guests that let their guard down while walking to the door may end up shot with an arrow! In classic dungeon fashion, holes in the wall open and launch arrows all the way down to the entrance of the treasure room.

Getting shot by an arrow will trigger lust at first sight! Forget about everything else and look at your fellow dungeon crawler. Aren't they so erotic? Don't you really want to fuck them right now and forget about all that treasure? Or perhaps they're still rocking around in your swapped body. Isn't it suddenly tempting to fuck yourself?

TREASURE ROOM

IT DEFINITELY ISN'T CURSED

FLOOR 7: THE BOTTOM FLOOR

The final floor of the dungeon is a massive chamber glittering with precious gems, metals, and enchanted valuables. Piles and piles of gold coins are stacked as far as the eye can see. Treasure chests line the walls, overflowing with sparkling jewelry. Anyone that’s ever wanted to swim in piles of gold can finally make their dream come true.

Guests can take whatever they can carry. They have to make their way back up through the dungeon with it, so hopefully they came prepared!

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► Brave adventurers that managed to come this far deserve worthwhile gains. Those who enter the treasure room are welcome to pick up special treasures from the following selection. None of these items are game breaking, so players can pick up multiple or mix and match.

ECHO STONE: A small stone that fits in the palm of a hand. When tapped, it sends out a soft pulse that outlines nearby exits, hidden passages, or alternate routes in shimmering light.

EARRINGS OF FATE: A matching pair of diamond studs. If shared between two people, the wearers can sense each others’ location all times.

CLOAK OF INVISIBILITY: Shimmering silver fabric as smooth as water. Wearing this cloak grants invisibility.

THONG OF BRONZE: A bronze thong. Wearing this thong increases power, endurance, and speed, but only when worn alone.

RING OF PROTECTION: A simple gold ring enchanted to protect the wearer. While this is useful during battle, it also can act as birth control and prevent sharing diseases.

CLICK LOCK LOCKET: A simple golden heart-shaped locket. The wearer can open the locket and give themselves temporary body modifications for up to two hours at a time.

MECHANICAL MOUSE: A mechanical mouse that registers its master with a drop of blood. A little friend that can scout, transport small items, and fit into tiny spaces.

BRASS COMPASS: A small brass compass with delicate gears. It doesn’t point north. Instead, it points to the carrier's deepest desire or the object they seek the most.

FEATHER OF FLIGHT: A delicate feather that feels lighter than air itself. Grants the ability to fly for a short period but the user must have it in their possession and activate it. Works in bursts, such as allowing them to jump across wide gaps or avoid a deadly fall.

HAND OF LUCK: A small, silver broach shaped like a human hand, fingers outstretched in a gesture of good fortune. The hand grants increased luck to the user, influencing dice rolls, odds, or even the outcome of risky decisions. However, it only works once per day. When it activates it may make other things worse.

► An iridescent door glitters at the back of the treasure room. Written on an aged scroll pinned to the wall is an explanation that this door can send adventurers home. They will have abandon their companions for this opportunity, because one who uses the door must pass through alone. The scroll explains that the door will only work once within a span of several hours, making it impossible for anyone else to immediately use it. There is also the risk that it will never work again.

Of course, the door isn't really sending anyone back to their world. Guests that decide to take the leap will find themselves walking straight into their suite upstairs. The scroll didn't specify which home!

OOC NOTES

INVITES | RESERVES | APPLICATIONS

▶ BLANKET CW: alcohol; altered states; anonymous; aphrodisiacs; BDSM dynamics; body swap; breeding kink; classic tropes; costumes; cum play; dubcon; death; enchantments; erotic plants; erotic monsters; entrapment; hypnotism; noncon; temperature play; traps; weapons; violence; voice kink

▶ 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 November event and is designed to provide content for players through the mods' December break. The marketplace and dungeon will ICly conclude on January 1st.

▶ 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!

▶ 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

caleb widogast | critical role | 5♣ (current character)

[blumenthal]

a makeshift tavern (cw: alcohol)

Drinking alone, friend?

[ Not anymore. The barkeep has just dropped two tankards in front of Caleb, full to frothing, and he keeps only one for himself. The other he slides over to his neighbor, whether friend or stranger.

The atmosphere has him in high spirits tonight; his loosened posture, the warm flush of his skin, and the relaxed ease of his crooked, bemused smile indicate that this is likely not his first beer this evening. But far from being drunkenly dulled, his blue eyes are bright and lively, and while his accent is perhaps a touch thicker than usual, he's nowhere near slurring his words. ]

floor two: only one bedroll (cw: possible references to past abuse and homelessness)

[ The cold is an old and familiar nemesis. Memories that live in his body as much as his mind well up unbidden, a flow it is impossible to staunch completely. But tucked into an abandoned campsite with another unlucky adventurer (or "monster" as the case may be), the canvas of a half-secured tent whipping wildly around them in the force of an icy gale, he knows what to do.

Nearly ten minutes ago he'd told his companion give me ten minutes, I'll get us out of the wind. Sitting down with his legs folded, he'd unbuckled the book under his right arm from its leather holster and spread it open in his lap, fingers flipping automatically to page he barely needed to look at. His other hand fished in the leather pouch strapped to his thigh, emerging with a small crystal bead pinched between his thumb and forefinger. He's spent the minutes since in concentration, holding his book and muttering under his breath, tracing arcane sigils and glyphs with his fingertip in a circular pattern on the floor around him. Each ignites in amber light, glowing like the coals of a banked fire--until he speaks a final word and a shimmering half-sphere of translucent amber magic encompasses them both. A dome arcs over their heads and meets the freezing stone floor, precisely ten feet in circumference from the spot where Caleb sits. Instantly they're encompassed in a pocket of calm. The wind is outside and they are in, protected from the elements. ]

Okay. [ Spoken like a sigh, breathy and weary. Caleb scratches at the scruff of his beard with nearly numb fingers; the fingerless gloves he wears are doing a little, but not enough. ] It will get warmer in here, but it takes time.

[ Regaining body heat once lost is difficult; better to retain it in the first place where possible. His eyes fall on the single bedroll left behind with the supplies here, an unexpected benefit. Most nights facing temperatures like this he didn't have even that much. Being precious about their situation will only make it worse, so he doesn't hesitate to suggest, ] We should share. We'll conserve more heat that way.

floor five: component gathering (open to any slime except pink, but let's chat before purple or yellow!)

[ Naturally, he's wound up with several glass vials of slime residue. He hasn't been tasked to collect it. Caleb is questing for no one at the moment, exploring only for his own edification. He wants to thoroughly map the dungeon, and on the way harvest useful or unusual materials for use as components or merely for further study. Hence the slime. Hence his current predicament.

He has, for the most part, been content to wander barefoot through the flooded halls of this floor with his pant legs rolled up around his knees, boots and coat magically stored away in the amber pendant around his neck. Globules of amber light bob in the air overhead, illuminating the dark corridor as it opens up into a wider chamber filled with deeper water. He stops at the edge, peering out at the path ahead--or the lack of one--with a frown.

Which is just when a small slime drips from the arch overhead and directly down the back of his shirt. Grabbing at his collar to shake it out, he loses his footing on the wet stone-- ]

Scheiße!

[ --and topples gracelessly into the water with a splash that echoes against the cavern walls. ]

ooc

[ this dnd wizard is right at home on a dungeon crawl. happy for any prompts to lead to smut or not, and only one bedroll also comes with some built-in backstory related potential for deeper cr-building. "monsters" welcome, and also happy to assume some basic cr wrt meeting in the dungeon and deciding to travel together. caleb's info and kinks are here. he just turned 36, he's bisexual, and open to any gender (and species) age 21+. also interested in monster combat, mistletoe, bridges, and voice kink for potential wildcards. ]

floor five

[entirelymyown]

[ Given his life experience, there is very few things which will call John's attention like someone going face first into water. It's also something he knows damn well can be a major problem if they happened to hit their head on the way down. Thankfully, he's close enough that when he gets to the pool, he can see exactly how 'dire' the circumstances seem to be- ]

...Caleb?

[ He wasn't not expecting him. But he hasn't seem him for a while, in any form, so it's certainly a surprise. Wait- ]

Are you all right? Need a hand up?

[blumenthal]

[ The water is deep enough that he didn't knock his head, at least. Still, he surfaces drenched and sputtering and slightly disoriented, wiping water out of his eyes with one hand. ]

Ah, ja--

[ He recognizes that voice. Good. Reaching a hand out, Caleb accepts the help back to his feet, though he's now soaked head to toe and standing in waist-high water. ]

I am fine now. Thank you, John. Are you--making your way down, I would guess?

[entirelymyown]

Figured I ought to, [ John admits it wryly, and if Caleb would like it, he'll happily help haul him back out of the water as well. He's got plenty of lift available. ] and I was curious what was down here.

You?

[ His resort-provided adventuring gear has him as a 'sexy' wizard, his yellow wizard robes spiced up by cut out holes at the sides, hips, and shoulders as well as a heart shaped key hole over his chest. It's not a terrible look, though John wears it less like he's trying to be sexy and more like a thing that happens to be on him. ]

[blumenthal]

The same, more or less.

[ Caleb pushes wet red hair out of his face, then shakes out his soaked-through linen shirt. No slime. Probably slipped away into the water. As he allows John to pull him back up onto the drier (by comparison, at least) path, he finally takes in his attire and doesn't stifle an amused smile. ]

I have my own gear, so I did not browse around the market much. It seems I missed the opportunity to find some new robes.

[ Not that he would fill them out the way John does, anyway. His gaze lingers at the shoulders, the chest. Stay on task, Widogast. ]

You wear them well.

[entirelymyown]

Thank you. [ 'Owning' things isn't really something he's done, in his experience, other than one particular building that he made and, well, It's Complicated. But compliments are always nice. It's sweet of him to say. And prompts him towards similar. ]

You wear your gear well. You look... [ he considers the right word ] 'dashing', even soaked through.

[ All the same- ]

Did you drop anything? Do you need help looking for anything?

[blumenthal]

[ Caleb's eyebrows go up with surprise, but he attempts to contain his automatic skepticism. He imagines he must look like a wet cat, but he's trying to be better about accepting compliments. ]

I don't know that I have ever been called dashing before. That is kind of you.

[ Better than denying it outright. He's a work in progress. John really is kind, though--he smiles again, thin but warm, at the offer to help him collect anything he may have dropped. ]

Nein, I'm good. When I saw how wet things were on this level I put most everything in here.

[ He taps the amber pendant hanging around his neck with a forefinger. If John looks closely enough he'll be able to see a number of Caleb's belongings in miniature, stored there in physical and temporal stasis like ancient insects in amber. ]

But I would not mind some company if we are headed the same way. We wizards should stick together, ja?

[ A conspiratorial wink goes with the playful question. Cheeky, friendly, perhaps even flirtatious. ]

a makeshift tavern

[indigently]

[ Kaveh looks up in surprise as he's greeted with both words and a tankard slid across the way, and, after wrapping his fingers around the handle, he offers a warm smile and a quick shake of his head. ]

I was. Not anymore.

[ Like Caleb, Kaveh has been visibly drinking, though not to excess just yet—usually with him, though, it's only a matter of time. For now, though, he raises the tankard in a toast. ]

And do I get to know the name of this generous, handsome stranger sitting with me?

[blumenthal]

[ Being called handsome by such a lovely person will never not take him aback somewhat, but it is undeniably flattering. With a slightly abashed huff, he lifts his own tankard. ]

Caleb Widogast. Prost.

[ After a long, deep drink befitting a friendly toast, he lowers the stein back to the bartop, his attention on his companion, taking him in more fully. ]

But you are too kind. If we are speaking of handsome strangers, you ought to introduce yourself.

[ Though his tone is almost matter-of-fact rather than overtly flirtatious, the spark of intent focus in his eyes and the quirk of his mouth makes that a playful flirtation in and of itself. ]

[indigently]

It's a pleasure to meet you, Caleb.

[ And then he repeats the toast—Prost—despite not knowing what it means, making a guess purely from the context of their situation. Like the other, he drinks quite deeply before putting his own tankard down too, and then laughing.

Whoops. In his own early flirtation, he completely failed to introduce himself...

(It's not the first time.) ]

My apologies, somehow that slipped my mind. [ Another chuckle, his smile broad, and while still flirtatious, it's also genuine. ] I'm Kaveh.

[blumenthal]

Kaveh. [ He repeats the name warmly. It feels surprisingly natural in his accent. ] Thank you for letting me keep you company.

[ Over the last several years Caleb has gradually re-learned how to be sociable, and rediscovered how much he actually likes being around other people. He was fucking miserable alone. Tonight, it's undeniably nice to be in the company of someone flirtatious, easy on the eyes, and willing to drink with him. And while he certainly doesn't expect more than that, there's no harm in remaining open to the possibility. ]

This place has been a pleasant surprise. [ Using his tankard to indicate the tavern around them. ] It reminds me very much of home. More than anything else I have seen here in the last two years. [ Near enough to two years, anyway. ] Have you ventured below yet?

[indigently]

[ He meets the greeting with a smile. ]

And I you.

[ He falls silent to drink from his tankard, and for a moment he doesn't notice that Caleb is gesturing around them, thinking he means the resort in general. His eyes widen, but... before he can ask or protest, he realizes what the other is actually talking about, and he relaxes. Right. The tavern itself. He— ]

...You've been here two years? [ Somehow, their paths haven't crossed. ] Me too. It's been... a wild ride, huh.

[ As for venturing below... he shakes his head. ]

Not yet. I will, eventually. But I wanted to enjoy a drink or two first. Aesthetically, it's very different to anything from my world. But the energy is just right. It's nice to have something like this.

[blumenthal]

To say the least. I have seen you in passing, I think. I have a very good memory. [ An eidetic one, in fact. ] It is good to put a name to the face.

[ It feels important--and oddly reassuring--to know others who have been here as long as he has. At the very least, they can commiserate. ]

Ah, I see. Between the this, the market, and the dungeon, it could be a parody of my life.

[ He smiles against the rim of the tankard as he drinks. Luckily he isn't easily offended. ]

You are wise to start here. Best not to go exploring alone, and a tavern is not a bad place to find a companion.

floor two;

[menhulu]

[ the cold.. dan heng does not prefer it. not only is it difficult for him to retain body heat as it is, it also brings with it floods of old, painful memories - the bone-cracking freeze of the shackling prison, his old cell, ancient and dark. rime frosted chains of exquisite make. dracocatena nails, driven deep -

lost in a reverie of uneasy memory, dan heng jolts slightly when caleb finally speaks again, the light returning to his eyes. he's hunched with his arms hugged close to his body, shivering, but he'd kept silent while caleb worked, understanding full well how important his concentration was. ]

Oh -

[ the wind has stopped. no - no, it still rages beyond the barrier of this dome that caleb has created, and dan heng looks fascinated by it. caleb has told him about many of his spells, but it's rare that dan heng is able to see them in action. ]

The.. tiny hut, right?

[blumenthal]

[ Cold as it is, there's a spark of warmth in Caleb's chest--fondness, gratification--when Dan Heng correctly names the spell. He remembered. That isn't surprising, but it's always nice to be remined that the people you care about listen when you speak. ]

Ja. An adventuring staple.

[ But as he takes in the shivering, his brow furrows with worry. Peeling back his glove, he touches his slightly warmer palm to Dan Heng's cheek and sucks in a sharp breath through his teeth. ]

You are like ice, friend. Let's get you warmed up. [ Mentally preparing himself for the chill, he begins to strip. First he lays his coat flat on the ground under the bedroll, adding another insulating layer between them and the cold stone. Then his scarf is unwound and his book harness slid off and set aside so his shirt can come up over his head. ] Take off as many layers as you can stand and we'll get in quick.

[menhulu]

[ dan heng does indeed listen when caleb speaks, and it's never an annoyance, never bothersome. they are compatible in many ways, and it's so easy to listen to him talk, the sound of his voice soothing, his comely accent attractive. he'd listen to caleb read him the phone book, honestly.. but anyway. ]

I - ah. I .. don't do well with the cold. I'm sorry.

[ he says quietly, hating how small he feels when he says it - but old memories can crush the soul, sometimes. dan heng will be fine, he knows, but it'll be easier when he warms up.

so he sets to work as well, unwinding his arms to begin pulling away the layers of his clothing - tall leather boots over sturdy trousers, and a long sleeved turtleneck over top. his usual fare, here, slightly altered for adventuring and movement. stripping down to his underclothing, dan heng is shivering hard by the time he finally climbs into the bedroll and reaches for caleb. ]

You must be cold, too.

[blumenthal]

[ Caleb, similarly undressed, reaches back without hesitation. He's piled the other layers they've shed on top of the bedroll for extra insulation, and with skinship and the dome gradually warming on its own, he hopes that will be enough. When he wraps his arms around Dan Heng and presses as close as they can get--chest to chest, hip to hip, legs tangled--there hardly feels like any warmth at all between them, both his own skin and Dan Heng's icy to the touch. But he knows what to do about that. ]

Freezing. [ he confirms with a tight, humorless smile. With both hands, he rubs briskly up and down his friend's back, trying to generate heat with friction and encourage bloodflow to the area. ]

I do not like the cold either, [ he admits quietly. Like this they are directly face to face, mere inches apart. Close enough to see that their breath clouds the air between their lips. ] Is it a problem for you because of your...?

[ His hand passes over the line of scales at the small of his back to indicate what he means. Despite his many fascinating and wonderful reptilian traits, Dan Heng has never appeared to be cold-blooded (not that he's observed, at least), but his temperature regulation could still be different in some way. ]

[menhulu]

[ it doesn't feel strange or awkward at all for dan heng to be this close to him - he and caleb have been intimate plenty of times before, and dan heng trusts him, likes him a great deal, it's very easy to be comfortable around him. they're both chilly to the touch, but slowly but surely the temperature will rise. ]

In.. a way, yes.

[ he says quietly, because caleb isn't wrong. dan heng isn't strictly cold-blooded, no, but he does tend to run cooler, and have a harder time regulating his body temperature in the chill. even moreso now, since the curse that befell him when he saw that terrible heart. ]

I .. [ he starts, then exhales through his nose, meeting caleb's eyes. ] .. where I was born, it was cold. Incredibly cold. Enough to crack your bones straight through. So I suppose that temperatures like this bring back bad memories.

[ he touches their brows together, nudging his icy nose alongside caleb's. ]

I'll be all right.

[blumenthal]

[ The pain just beneath the surface when Dan Heng talks about where he came from, what horrors he may be eliding by referencing bad memories, breaks Caleb's heart a little. He's always felt a connection with Dan Heng; by now, he has seen his scars many times. He never enjoys learning that someone he cares for may understand part of his own life intimately, but...there is comfort to be found in not being alone. Maybe he can offer that, at least. ]

You will. I will make sure of it.

[ Brow to brow, one cold nose against another, it feels natural for their lips to meet as well in a tender kiss. A reassurance in the moment and an echo of the past. This is exactly what they used to do to stay warm. ]

It is complicated for me. For a number of years I wandered alone and did not have the means to put a roof over my head. Winters were very hard. Before that--long before--

[ All of this is hard to talk about, but this especially. He trusts Dan Heng with it, though. He wants to share more of himself. His voice is quiet, and he speaks very matter-of-factly, as if trying to reduce the emotional impact of his words, whether for his friend's sake or his own. ]

My old teacher's preferred way to punish my two...ah, classmates and I was to leave the three of us overnight in a cold tower. There was nothing in that room, and we could wear only thin roughspun clothes. Not even shoes. If we did not learn how to keep each other warm, we probably would have frozen to death.

floor two

[philancer]

[ Sylvain is no stranger to the cold. Even if his survival skills are definitely slightly rusty after his extended stay in a resort where weather basically doesn't exist, unless the House wills it otherwise. but some things you never forget, and he knows exactly the dangers of cold and what can happen after too long spent in it.

Finding shelter in this floor had been iffy anyway, and the tent they stumble into isn't ideal. He might have suggested looking for something else - it was a hard choice between hunkering down here with limited (and questionable) shelter and maybe keeping their bodies moving for heat and the chance of something better.

But then the stranger sits down and sinks into some sort of meditative trance and Sylvain is pretty sure that's a terrible idea, but he'd already started so Sylvain tries to do his best in the meantime. He gets that wildly flapping corner of the tent secured, but it's still a meager shelter from the biting cold.

The bedroll he unrolls and spreads over their laps, because he's not sure what might disrupt or distract whatever the other man is trying to do. Some sort of magic, he's guessing from what he's watching, but he's never heard of someone needing to take so long to complete a cast. A quirk of magic where the man comes from perhaps? Although that makes magic highly inconvenient in a pinch, he thinks.

But then a magical dome springs into existence and the wind outside is reduced to only a howling with no bite to it. It's still cold, of course, but this is much more bearable.

He resists the urge to reach out and poke the shield, eyes curious about it all the same.

But the mention of heat has his attention coming abruptly back to the problem at hand. Gesturing with a rueful smile, he beckons the other man closer. ]

Come on, lets get you warmed up. I don't mind sharing if you don't. You've gotta be like ice.

[blumenthal]

[ For personal reasons, this situation is somehow less awkward but more fraught for Caleb than it might be for the average person. For other entirely different personal reasons, it is much, much more of both. When is the right time to broach the subject that he knows Sylvain by sight because his partner has ensured he will recognize the individuals here who she is, back in her own world, engaged in a war with?

Sooner rather than later, probably. But it doesn't change what he's going to do, which is make sure neither of them freeze to death tonight, so it can wait at least a moment longer. ]

Ja. I would start a fire, but there is not much at hand to keep it burning.

[ He bears no personal ill will toward this man, and from what she's told him, neither does Edelgard. If the latter were not the case the former would not be either. For this reason, he is willing to do what he must and see how this goes. Still, it's strange to move closer, to slip out of his coat and spread it over them both so there will be fewer layers separating the warmth of their skin when they hunker down together, knowing that outside the unique circumstances of this place this stranger would be an enemy of the woman he loves--one of many.

Impossible to relax. His thoughts are restless. But he's fucking cold, he hates being cold, and also, unavoidably...he's curious. And in turn he can't help noticing his companion's curiosity about his magic. ]

You can pass through it. [ His accented voice is quiet and gravelly as he explains, and he offers a thin, rueful smile in return. ] But the weather cannot, and neither can any creature I do not allow.

[philancer]

[ Sylvain picks up on the awkwardness, even if he doesn't understand the source of it. He, admittedly, knows very little about what Edelgard gets up to around the resort. Other than a few brief encounters early in their time here, they've mostly kept to different circles. Which, at one point, he would have blamed on Hubert being terrifying, but that man hasn't been here in an age so the excuse doesn't really hold up.

Thinking instead that perhaps the man might be uneasy with crawling into a bedroll with another man, Sylvain tries his best not to make the other man uncomfortable - more uncomfortable? - as they use the bedroll and the man's coat as extra layers against the biting cold.

The magic seems like a good distraction from it, since the other man offers an explanation even when Sylvain hadn't asked. But appreciates the information all the same. Stretching out within the dome and the tent and leaving room for Caleb to make himself comfortable, he does reach out to try and poke at it, but only gets a strange tingling in his fingertips when his hand passes through the invisible barrier. ]

Huh. That's pretty handy. [ Even if it did take so long to cast.

Still, the comment about the fire gets a quiet snicker from him. ] It would have been nice if they'd at least have left us all the furniture that's meant to be on this floor. But I suppose they've left enough obstacles in our way already.

floor 2

[aertire]

[The brown-haired woman, who he had encountered in the dungeon in the role of some sort of... fallen angel, perhaps, judging by her highly impractical black dress that looked more like it'd be at place in a BDSM show, watched him with curiosity as he sat and concentrated on his spell.

In truth, Raziel was cold, of course, but primal beasts were hardier than mortals; she could have kept going if need be, it would have just been unpleasant. But then this stranger started doing some sort of highly unfamiliar magic, and for the Archangel of Enigmas, this was a question worth pursuing.

When he finishes, Raziel clasps her hands together, looking around them at the little bubble, which is already far more comfortable now that it's shielding them from the wind.]

Oh! Remarkable! Well done, indeed! [She says with polite cheer.

In her hands, there is suddenly a thick tome that Caleb could have sworn wasn't there before and which, in her so-called dress, there is absolutely no way for her to have stashed away somewhere. The pages fly open on their own, and a quill pen appears in her fingers with a momentary spray of white flame.] If it's not too much trouble, I'd love to know what you just did- with as much detail as possible, please?

[Curiousity burns in her expression.]

(closed) for edelgard

[blumenthal]

[ This transformation of the resort obviously has nothing to do with him or his birthday, but the timing is uncanny enough that he finds it funny to joke about. He has all the gear he needs on hand; weapons and armor are more of a hindrance to a wizard than a help, so he's been spared the necessity to do any shopping to prepare for dungeon delving. Edelgard, however, is another story.

In some respects Caleb remains a very simple man. His partner puts on sexy armor and he appreciates how hot she looks in it. This is the real gift: the thrill of exploration and adventuring with the woman he loves while she wears a tiny skirt and a less than full coverage breastplate and carries a huge fucking axe like it weighs nothing. Honestly, he couldn't have asked for better if he tried.

Since he is the squishy wizard, she walks ahead and he behind as they traverse the dungeon's first floor. As a result, the view that tiny skirt affords him of her bare thighs between the hem and the top of her tall armored (and heeled) boots has so far received at least as much of his attention as their surroundings. He is aware that is not ideal in an unknown and potentially dangerous environment. But he can remind himself to stay on task, Widogast only so many times before he begins to wonder if his priorities should shift.

Embarrassingly, this is the reason he isn't paying close enough attention to recognize sooner that this large, suspiciously easy to access chest is not a chest at all. The lid creaks open and instead of revealing trinkets or basic supplies as they've seen previously, there are rows of sharp teeth. He barely has time to think the word mimic before a long prehensile tongue is lashing out to wrap around Edelgard's leg. Cursing filthy enough to make even a Zemnian blush, Caleb stumbles back, automatically reaching for the leather pouch strapped to his thigh. ]

[crestsidestory]

[ Heavy armor is one of her specialties. It's unfortunate that this specialty is of no use here even when part of the resort turns into an actual dungeon and she's finally allowed to use a weapon that can cause harm. The craftsmanship isn't impressive but picking up a real axe and giving it a few test swings to reacclimate to the weight in her hands was a breath of fresh air, a welcome dose of something closer to reality. It almost makes up for her disappointment with all the revealing armor.

What pushes her the rest of the way over that disappointment is the fact that Caleb -- on his birthday, no less -- is as far from disappointed about it as he can get. The palpable weight of his attention has pleased her from the earliest days of their friendship and having it now, knowing his eyes are lured by the sight of more bared skin than usual in a less-than-private setting, sparks a primal enjoyment that she has only ever experienced here. There is a difference in the pride she takes in her appearance at home and the awareness she has gained of what draws Caleb to her. If Caleb wants to eye her bare thighs or get distracted by her cleavage above her breastplate he is welcome to do so.

It adds a pleased self-awarenesss to the already proud line of her shoulders, to the confidence with which she shoulders her new axe and then leads him through the dungeon corridors. It feels a bit like some of the stories he has told her of his adventures with his friends and regardless of the circumstances she's glad to have an opportunity to share a similar experience with him.

She's less glad to see hungry rows of teeth waiting when they open an unguarded chest but what startles her most is how fast its long tongue is as it unfurls and whips around her left leg. Her refusal to stop training has kept her reflexes quick: tugged so abruptly toward the slavering mouth that she loses her footing and lets out an undignified sound of surprise, she reaches not for the axe at her back but the dagger sheathed in her right boot. For unexpected emergencies, just as her dagger would be at home. Slashing the blade across the tongue where it meets her leg rewards her with a sickly roar. ]