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.

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► 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

[horseliberator]

[ Honestly Henry has avoided talking too much about Hans because he isn't particularly willing to let people know what he thinks about his lord. Even though it's very obvious that Hans is almost always on his mind. He'd still deny it vehemently or pass it off as loyalty to one's liege if he was called out on it.

And he feels heat flare up his neck and ears even if Dodger isn't full on laughing at him. It was a genuine concern!! He thinks. ]

I think there's some stories about how mirrors can steal your soul as well.

[ He replies in mild defensiveness, but relaxes shortly after. ] If you took my picture, would you just show it to random other people like that?

[ His brow lifts, and some amusement replaces everything else in his expression. ] Eager to get started again? Here?

[smokedout]

[He snorts.]

Is that what you're worried about?

[Is that a response to the mirror stealing his soul or Dodger showing his picture around? Yes.]

It's not gonna steal your soul, I promise. And if it makes you feel better, no, I'll keep it to myself.

[Small price to pay, for getting pictures of him in the first place.

At that last question, though, Dodger lights up with a mischievous grin, and moves to seek out another kiss on the lips.]

We're in private, and it's your home turf. Can't imagine a better place. [He pauses.] But it can wait, if there's anything else we need to do with the swords.

[horseliberator]

It's not funny.

[ He sniffs defensively, whether Dodger is answering for one thing or both. He would appreciate keeping his soul as well as not advertising openly that he'll suck a dick though. And even though he studies Dodger for a moment, well. Dodger has, despite everything, only ever helped him with things like this. So he believes him about the mirrors. ]

Alright then. We'll consider it.

[ A moment passes and then he breaks into another grin. Yeah okay, he sees this is a little silly too.

Huffing softly, he draws his hands up to the sides of Dodger's face to return a kiss, shrugging his shoulders. ] Not really, at the moment.

[ The swords, that is. He could do more work but the ones they've worked on already should be fine. He does give the "room" around them a brief glance, a near unreadable expression passing over his face. Homesickness. But then he's back to considering Dodger. ] Can't argue with those points.

[smokedout]

[There's still a grin on his lips right up until Henry kisses him, like he's very much still laughing at him privately. He does still think it's very funny that Henry is scared of photos, but he knows better than to keep teasing him for it.

That sober expression gets Dodger to pause in turn, though, and he wavers a little before pressing his forehead against Henry's. Something gentle and affectionate, in contrast to the conversation that led up to it.]

We don't have to, if you just want to talk. I mean, this... probably brings up a lot of memories, right?

[It occurs to him that Henry can only see familiar things in the pods, and even then it's fairly easy to tell that the windows or the 'open space' here are fake. And while Dodger can't really relate to it, he is enough of a creature of habit that he does think he understands. Like a much worse version of never being able to see his old apartment or his dog again.]

[horseliberator]

[ There is a small sense Henry has that Dodger is still laughing at him, but he chooses to ignore it. Anyway, he's a little distracted by thoughts of home, and by being asked about it. It does bring up memories, of growing up, of Martin, even of Radzig and forging his sword (and later inheriting it). ]

I'm always thinking of it. [ Of Hans. Which is part of why he doesn't want to talk about it right now. He shakes his head a little, even if he is touched that Dodger is asking. ]

It would be better if I don't.

[smokedout]

[Dodger tips his head, and considers pressing a little further, but... it's far more polite than he's been, when Henry presses too far. Probably better to leave it.]

Sure.

[He hesitates a bit, before seeking out another kiss, and sliding his hands down to Henry's waist.]

Then do you want me to be quiet, or do you want me to try and get you out of your head?

[Because he knows in Henry's shoes he'd rather have a distraction than spend any time at all thinking about home, but he's testing out this whole empathy thing whenever he can.]

[horseliberator]

[ Henry wouldn't really lash out about something like this anyway. Maybe Skalitz or Toth, but ...

Well, anyway. Before answering, he lets Dodger kiss him, following up with a small, brief one of his own. He feels a strong pang of guilt right as he answers, and he'll be asking God later to somehow convey to Hans that he's sorry- ]

I'd rather get out of my head.

[ It's just that thinking about places he can't be, things he has no way of doing right now, it isn't going to help anything. Probably, it will just make it worse. He'll grow a depression beard and that's only the start. ] I ... can't think about home.

[smokedout]

[Dodger hums his acknowledgement, and confirms it with another kiss.]

If we're done with the forge, we can always switch the room around. Make it something... less familiar. Like a nice bedroom, maybe some LED lights around the bed.

[Something that Dodger's more familiar with, which he figures will necessarily bring up less memories for Henry. And since Dodger himself is almost entirely focused on the younger man, that should even them out.]

Next time we work on swords I can bring some alcohol along. Then we can get shit-faced afterward and really get out of our heads.

[horseliberator]

I don't mind staying here so much.

[ As long as he doesn't have to think about it. But he smiles at Dodger genuinely. ]

But whatever an Eleedee light is, sure. Show it to me.

[ Or he supposes he's the one that has to get the room to change? Either way. As long as they move on from Czechia and the 15th century and Hans, he's content enough for now. And he laughs a bit. ]

And as long as the alcohol is after the forging, yeah. I could use a good night of drinking.

[smokedout]

[Dodger smirks.]

Just don't try and keep up with me. It takes a couple bottles of whiskey before I feel anything - more bullshit with my body.

[One more kiss before he pulls away from Henry and goes to a spot next to the door to pull up a holographic screen. He's never actually messed with the room himself before, so he's working off of his approximate memory of watching Esikko do this, but it shouldn't be too complicated.

After a bit of fiddling the forge melts away, replaced by what could best be described as a gamer bedroom. It's dark, there are decorations on the walls meant to imitate neon signs, and the bed in the middle has a strip of LEDs around the underside. Their swords end up resting on an otherwise empty desk.

It's tacky by Dodger's standards, but at least there's no danger of it reminding Henry of anything.]

[horseliberator]

I've already learned my lesson about drinking with the experts.

[ And that's all he's going to say about that. Dodger doesn't need to hear about how Janosh and Adder dragged him to the baths and tucked him in after various ... incidents on their first night of drinking together.

So Henry turns his attention to watching Dodger, and then watching the room change. There is a twinge of despair in his heart as he watches the fake smithy disappear, as though he can't just come to one of these rooms and ask for it back again. He clears his thoughts of it as best he can and watches the room turn dark. The neon decor hurts his eyes, and the lights around the bed certainly are interesting (and maybe ... useful?? Why is he thinking about that). ]

Huh. Is this what your bedrooms look like at home? [ It doesn't look tacky to Henry because it doesn't look anything to him. He has no comparison. So it's sadly a very earnest question.

He does walk over to sit down on the bed though. Comfy, as he expected. ]

[smokedout]

Not really. Not my bedroom, at least, my friend Tommy's into a lot of this shit. And the brothel I used to go to uses a lot of lights like this.

[Dodger wanders back over, and takes a moment to just appreciate the sight of the other man before climbing up to straddle his lap. His focus is mostly on Henry, but... it's been a while since he smoked, and he's starting to hit the limit for how long he can go without. So he fishes his pack out of his pocket, and pulls a cigarette out with his teeth.]

About to light up. Don't flinch.

[Feels like a fair warning, before he snaps his fingers to light their tips on fire, and lights his cigarette off of it. At least he's leaning back a bit, mostly so the flames aren't appearing right in Henry's face.]

[horseliberator]

Your friend's bedroom is similar to a brothel...

[ That's just how that kind of comes together for Henry at the moment. But it's quickly replaced by having his attention on Dodger, which is what all this is about anyway.

He smirks a bit at the warning, though truthfully he's glad for it. ]

Thanks. [ Cigarettes are also a bit of a strange concept to him, and the smell is weird, but it doesn't bother Henry too much (especially since Dodger isn't right in his face). Rather he was actually watching Dodger's fingers with interest. When he knows it's coming, it's kind of fascinating to just ... watch. ]

Do you just ... think about it and it happens? Does the snapping help?

[smokedout]

[That connection gets a grin on Dodger's face. He thinks it's funnier not to correct it - because he has a low opinion of Tommy's luck with women, so saying his bedroom looks like a strip club is intensely funny.

(Tommy is probably luckier with women than Dodger is, but it's not like they talk about it.)

The question, though, makes him pause to think it over. Instead of waving the flames away he keeps them out, twisting his fingers and moving the flame across them as if he's contact-juggling a coin.]

It helps, but it's... a visualization, I guess. Like thinking about a lighter catching flame. [Wait, Henry's not familiar with those.] Or... flint and steel?

[He does finally wave the flame away, and slides his arms around Henry's neck.]

A lot of these powers feed on emotions. My fire feeds on anger. So if I need to make a lot of fire, I think about... bottles breaking. Like I'm smashing a bottle full of everything that pisses me off, and letting it loose.

[It's a little deeper than that, and maybe that's clear in his expression - the way he looks sort of distant, and troubled. His mind is on the source of that analogy. The first time he really lost control was marked by a breaking whiskey bottle.]

[horseliberator]

[ It is a funny thought, and that's what he figures Dodger's expression is for, and not that Henry made a weird connection. ]

Oh. That makes sense, I think. [ Picturing a spark igniting timber or kindling perfectly, creating a bloom of fire out of nowhere. He watches the flames for a moment, and then turns his gaze back to Dodger, smiling a little bit ruefully. They're both guilty for dragging up unwanted memories in each other, it seems. ]

I get that, too. [ He turns his head a little, bringing one of his hands up to take the arm Dodger's just put around him so he can draw those fingers that were just aflame up to his lips. ]

But I don't need you getting angry right now. I just need you to tell me I'm charming and dashing and [ and don't need to think. he huffs a laugh. ] Whatever else. Feel free to ask the same of me.

[smokedout]

[It's a relief to get dragged back away from those memories, and to have his focus set back on Henry. Even if the combination of the request and the lips against his fingers make Dodger's cheeks turn pink. How lucky, that the colored lights make it far less obvious.]

You're charming, you're dashing, you're a good listener, and you're... sharp. You'd be dangerous, if you wanted to be.

[He pauses, takes a drag from his cigarette and blows it to the side before gesturing with it.]

Do you want to try this?

[He's willing to take no for an answer, although he'd certainly prefer to get a yes. More than compliments that he isn't sure he'd take to heart, he likes the idea of having a habit in common. So few of his partners are willing to smoke with him.]

[horseliberator]

[ He can't see the pink, but he likes to think it's there. Henry hasn't often had a problem with confidence. Maybe not as bad as Hans, but.

A chuckle sneaks through his lips as he lets Dodger's hand slip away from his. He seems pleased by the compliments, even if he asked for them, placing a lazy kiss against the other man's lips. ] I can be dangerous. To other humans.

[ Particularly in the pursuit of vengeance, or in acting out his own anger. But those are just details. He's coming to terms with his manly pride being slightly wounded by the fact he's outmatched in a world where humans are near the bottom of the pack.

Looking at the cigarette then, he tilts his head. ] What... is it, exactly? Some sort of herb?

[smokedout]

I'd like to see that. I bet you look hot when you're covered in blood.

[Smart men can be dangerous to anyone, even god-like beings. Dodger believes this strongly, and he believes Henry has that potential, but his focus is already moving on. Maybe he'll mention it later.

Talking about the cigarette feels much more important.]

It's an herb, yeah. It's tobacco, chopped up and toasted and rolled into paper cigarettes. When you breathe in the smoke, it wakes you up, makes you feel... focused, alert. It just feels good.

[He's not the person to ask about any of the downsides. Both because he wouldn't voice anything he's aware of, and because he's been chain-smoking for years. He has no idea how he'd feel if he went more than an hour without a cigarette, and he usually doesn't like to go more than ten minutes.]

[horseliberator]

[ That makes him laugh a little bit. More like a man crazed by revenge and troubled by moral and personal quandaries but, sure. Hot. ]

Sorry to disappoint, but I doubt you'll be seeing that much in a giant pleasure resort.

[ It appears that anything can happen in this place, but he still has his doubts that all out battles or war or even brawls are going to happen. Not to him specifically, he's a threat to exactly no one here at the moment. ]

Ehm... alright. [ It sounds similar to certain tonics but ... well, Henry knows that Dodger is a terrible influence (on Henry's soul specifically) so he'll mentally approach this with a grain of salt. ]

Fine, let me try it.

[smokedout]

[Dodger knows there was a fight club here at some point that he just barely missed out on... so even if he can't imagine Henry getting into any real fights here (and he'd be very anxious about Henry going up against the few men he'd expect to be up for a fight) he figures he might get a chance to see it eventually. Maybe just the next time the House makes them share memories.]

Here - it can burn your throat if you're not careful, this'll go down smoother.

[He takes another drag, and presses his lips to Henry's, guiding him to open his mouth so Dodger can breathe the smoke into him. He stays there until he's confirmed Henry has inhaled it, before leaning back to get his reaction.]

[horseliberator]

[ He's already opening his mouth to ask questions when Dodger presses their lips together. There's a muffled sound of surprise but somehow the smoke gets in there and down into his lungs before he sputters a bit and coughs.

Of course he coughs. He didn't know what to expect at all. ]

Um...huh. Okay. That was —

[ He makes a face, tilting his head at Dodger, and then shakes it off. ]

Try that one more time.

[smokedout]

[Dodger lets out a soft laugh.]

Everyone coughs, the first time. Takes a while before your body gets used to it.

[He presses a proper kiss to Henry's lips, although it's relatively short, before taking another drag and once again blowing it into Henry's mouth. This time he looks much more expectant when he leans back, figuring the second attempt will get a good reaction.]

[horseliberator]

[ Henry only gives the smallest of coughs this time as he adjusts to the strange sensations and the strange flavor. ]

It wasn't so bad, that time. Tastes a bit strange.

[ But most things made out of herbs do. So he doesn't think much about it at all.

There is a sort of mild, dizzying feeling that's come and gone from it, but that could be because of all the kisses, he really doesn't know. ]

[smokedout]

It tastes like me. [He offers a winning smirk.] You get used to it, sooner or later.

[He takes one more drag, and blows his smoke to the side before pressing their foreheads together.]

I use them to calm down when I'm getting stressed out, they help me wake up in the morning... it's just nice, to have a buzz going all the time.

[Or more accurately, he feels awful if he isn't constantly feeding all of his addictions. Alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, sex. He's probably going to go seeking out more alcohol after this, but for the moment his attention is moving to seeking out more kisses, and shifting his hips to grind softly against Henry.]

[horseliberator]

[ Henry laughs at that. ] Aye, so it does.

[ His eyes close when their foreheads rest, and he smiles a little. Not so different from having a drink to just forget things for a while. Except you don't often do that right in the morning unless you're from the Devil's Pack. ]

I'm sure it is nice.

[ Maybe he wouldn't want one all the time, but still. His words are murmured, not a lot of thought to them since he quickly lets himself be distracted with Dodger's actions instead. He leans up into the kisses, snakes his arm around the other man's waist as he answers with a little bump of his own hips. ]