TDM #4

[apocalypsehowmods]

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➥ Arrival

(cw: potential for severe disorientation/vertigo, claustrophobia, arachnophobia, body horror)

It happens in the blink of an eye. You may have been asleep. You may not have. You may have stepped through a door or turned a corner. You may have seen a flicker of something at the corner of your vision and turned to look. Or maybe you didn't.

It doesn't matter. What matters is that you find yourself somewhere entirely new and entirely unfamiliar. The arrival point is not always the same. (If you're lucky, it might be a canteen or an open office. If you're not, well... you aren't claustrophobic, are you? Or arachnophobic. These ducts do seem to be a bit cobwebby.) There is no one waiting for you but you don’t seem to be alone, either. Even in a janitor’s closet or the bathroom, you’ll find at least one person who seems to be just as out of place as you are.

If characters have arrived in a location devoid of NPCs, they may want to work together to figure out what is going on... or to avoid their 'kidnappers.' If you’ve arrived in the middle of the entry foyer or the gym, there may well be a few people who startle a bit at your arrival and try to approach (or discreetly leave the room... where are they going?). Will you cooperate or fight? Do you even understand what they're saying? You might need to find a translator, if you’re not immediately willing to follow a stranger.

After characters follow their new hosts (or are forcibly taken in) there will be a limited tour and the chance to settle in at the ADI-provided housing. (Do you enjoy living with strangers? Well. It's a new situation to navigate, anyway.)

➥ Toying With You

(cw: creepy toys, possible violence, supernaturally induced emotions)

Weird things happen in Dogtown, everyone knows it. The Apocalypse Disruption Initiative (ADI) is not above taking advantage of that to test out the waters for its newest arrivals. They're not looking to send anyone to their death, though. That's far too much paperwork, you'd been assured with a wink from the employee who'd directed you to the park trailhead. You've been left with another person. Maybe they're a new arrival, as well, or a more seasoned 'veteran.' Either way, you're together for the next while and you've been asked to find and record any paranormal activity in the park. You have your phones and any other equipment you might have brought with you. Those who succeed in documenting anything peculiar will receive a $100 reward to be used as they see fit.

This month...characters who enter the area will eventually stumble upon...a very interesting sight. Take enough confusing, branching paths, and they’ll find a variety of toys abandoned in...a variety of ways.

Some, reminiscent of the happenings of the past month, can be found dangling from branches, or from contraptions of sticks and string staked into the ground. Others might be found arranged in patterns...or simply discarded. Some appear to be tied up. Perhaps surprisingly, there is no evidence of the destruction of these toys. Some may appear to be disintegrating but that’s age, not malice. There are old toys and new toys to be found. Maybe it’s just a prank, or an art installation?

Nothing seems to happen to anyone who ventures to touch the toys. At least...not right away. However, any character who does decide to touch a toy will start to feel like they just don’t have...enough. It might manifest as being particularly possessive over things or people they feel are theirs...or in coveting what they don’t already have (be it material or immaterial). These urges will fade away on their own in time, but who knows what might happen before they do?

➥ Pick a Pocket

(cw: mention of vehicular collisions, supernaturally-induced sleep/fatigue)

There is an ethereal music spreading throughout town. It started in the graveyards last month, but now it's spreading, even as collisions and other accidents continue to pile up. Tourists and locals, alike, will find keeping awake incredibly difficult as October rolls in with a rumble of thunder and a splash of rain. Even caffeine doesn't seem to help much with the problem. The music is only just there, just at the edge of awareness, and it's a song that you know. You can't entirely place it, but it's maddeningly familiar.

The local gangs seem to have taken note of the situation, and have taken to sending out their seemingly more resilient members for some mischief. Specifically, pickpocketing those they might find sleeping or less alert than usual. You might be half-falling asleep on a bus when a hand reaches into your pocket or your bag. You might witness the thief in action, stealing from someone else. Or maybe you're someone keen to take advantage of the situation, yourself. There's money to be made for someone with even moderately light fingers when the target is snoring on a park bench or zoning out while sitting at a cafe.

There doesn't seem to be an even effect to the music. It impacts some people in the same vicinity more than others with seemingly no rhyme or reason. The one constant that does appear for those digging deeply, is that ADI HQ and the ADI housing complex seem to be less affected by the music. It can still sometimes be heard, but it's not nearly as prominent as it is throughout the rest of the city.

➥ Sleeper's Paradox

(cw: supernaturally-induced sleep/fatigue, mild memory loss)

For as much as everyone seems to be sleeping lately, it does not seem to be restful sleep. In fact, people dozing off regularly will find themselves even more exhausted and irritable than usual. Again, this seems to be far more pronounced for anyone straying too far from ADI's properties for extended periods.

Another feature of this latest round of supernatural irritation is that even those who tend to remember their dreams may have trouble with that. You might remember that the dreams weren't pleasant, but that's about it. The specifics are as elusive as the source of the singing.

Festive planning for the end-of-the-month Halloween Party is in full swing at ADI, and characters may find themselves strong-armed by Pam and other HR personnel, in spite of any grumpiness and exhaustion, into helping with some part of it. Will you be assisting with making decorations? Buying supplies for the kitchens? Helping those who might not understand Halloween to find the perfect costume? Everyone is feeling a little out of sorts, and having trouble focusing, so there's some particular pushing to spread tasks out to everyone possible so it doesn't fall on a single individual. Anyone who helps will be compensated for their time, and they might even get some extra cash to buy their own fancy costume or preferred food for the party.

➥ Mod Notes

• ARRIVAL (Oct 1 - 31): Two people will always arrive in the same general location together. Arrivals occur throughout the early month, not all on the same day or in the same place. Arrivals are not naturally fluent in English/other languages immediately upon arrival. Characters may attempt to evade capture, but they will eventually be snagged before they can leave the building. PC's already in-game are more than welcome to interact with and try to guide new PC's to get them oriented. Please refer to the Arrival page for details regarding the arrival and onboarding process.
  
  
• Toying With You (Oct 1 - 31): Characters who physically interact with abandoned toys will find themselves overwhelmed by feelings of jealousy and/or possessiveness. Depending on how much interaction they have with the toys, these feelings might be stronger or last longer. (Anyone who, for example, removes a toy from Dogtown will probably find themselves helpless NOT to act on the feelings.) Strength of feeling and duration of time is up to player discretion. The source of these feelings could be anything, including the toys themselves. The toys can be destroyed but are not clumped all in one spot. It may take some searching to find them all.
  
  
• Pick a Pocket (Oct 1- 25): Characters are welcome to experience, enact, or stop a crime. You may find yourself victim, hero, or perpetrator. The number of people asleep or having trouble staying awake will increase the closer you get to graveyards and seem to decrease the closer you get to ADI-owned buildings. The decrease in sleepiness around ADI buildings does not extend to anyone living at Bonnie's. Characters may find themselves falling asleep in the middle of trivial or important tasks, perhaps even in the middle of conversation. This is a supernatural sleep, but for the moment, it seems easy enough to wake someone up with a loud noise or a shake. Or, if you're feeling particularly vindictive, a splash of water to the face.
  
  
• Sleeper's Paradox (Oct 1-25): Characters are welcome to take part in whatever party planning they wish to for ADI's Halloween party. Everyone affected by the drowsiness that's taken over the city will find that they cannot remember the specific nature of their dreams; although, they will have the sense that they did have them, and they were unpleasant. The effects of the fatigue may affect other memories or result in increased irritability, and decreased focus and reaction times. Characters may find themselves more prone to error than usual, even those who are typically known for being on-point at all times.
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Comments

[epiprocta]

[ Yeah, he ain't buying it, not one bit. That pause before Abel spills out that ridiculous spiel seemed far too deliberate, and Gen just rolls his eyes, speaking up so abruptly he almost cuts Abel off. ]

What year did you think it was.

[ 'You moron,' he needs to keep himself from adding, if only because insulting the guy doesn't seem to have much effect and he's not intent on wasting his breath. ]

You're the one who brought up the subject. If you're gonna pretend to be all polite calling me 'sir,' then answer your own question.

[inutilis]

I was just curious if what you heard matched your expectation, that's all! And I don't see what being polite has anything to do with it, either...! This is just... just common courtesy, I'd say~!

[ ...he really can't believe the gap in time. it makes no sense to him-- none of this does, but that in particular is a... bitter pill to swallow.

Abel can see he's opened the door, however, and the boy already thinks he's off his rocker; he makes something of a face as he's waving his hand in dismissal again. ]

The year was 664 of the Holy Calendar, it's... ah, goodness, hold on a second. [ he is counting on his fingers, here... like an adult-- ] 3064? Yes, 3064 AD-- is that right...? So obviously I'm trapped in some kind of strange fever dream and fighting for my life in a hospital in Londinium right now, probably after that wild dog attack I mentioned. You know, it's very rude of my subconscious to come up with bullies who will kick and shove at me in my own mind, you know...? What does that say about me as a person....? Perhaps I ought to do some self-reflection if I'm not a vegetable at the end of all this.

[epiprocta]

[ A thousand years ahead. Bullshit, he wants to say. ]

Maybe your subconscious wouldn't be letting you get beaten up if you learned to stop running your mouth all the time.

[ The retort comes easily because it's true, but there's no real bite to it because his thoughts are elsewhere. Specifically, Gen's thinking back to Abel's weird reactions to any talk about Japan. His shock and surprise had seemed pretty genuine, like he really did know the country to have been gone for centuries, and that broadcast had mentioned something about people coming from different worlds.

Either this guy is truly, wildly off his rocker, or ... ]

You got any proof?

[ He's not sure if he wants to believe what Abel is saying or not, but either way, keeping his mind occupied on this one concrete issue -- whether this guy's lying or not -- helps him avoid thinking about the bigger problems looming in his near future. So Gen continues bluntly, ]

You're dressed weird, but it doesn't scream future. There's gonna be fancy tech or something if you're from so far ahead, like you say.

[inutilis]

[ the priest looks like he had been bracing himself for some kind of abrasive discourse on how he is, in fact, a delusional idiot-- in fact, Abel's mouth had already been opened to give some kind of indignant, defensive reply. but... when none is forthcoming, he eyes Gen over with a surprised blink instead.

...proof? ]

Ah...? You want... proof?

[ well, that's... very reasonable a response, honestly!! Gen, you become more interesting by the moment, you know that? Abel is patting himself down as if in attempt to locate something suitable for the task, but... it isn't like he carries anything especially fancy or demonstrative on his person. ]

Um, well-- I'm afraid I'm not exactly sure what would constitute proof, exactly... I mean-- if it's fancy tech you're looking for, that's way above my paygrade, sir~! Come on, now...! Isn't the bond of camaraderie we've forged through this harrowing endeavor enough for you to take me at my word...? Huh?

[ making the dumbest smile, as if to implore Gen's trust!!!! 😊 ]

[epiprocta]

[ As punishment for daring to say anything about bonds and camaraderie, Abel is shot an absolutely withering stare. Followed by an incredulous deadpan. ]

... you don't even have a phone?

[ because someone living without a phone? unimaginable??? what was it Abel was thinking about teenagers being exhausting to being around? he was so right. ]

What kind of job do you have where you don't even have a phone.

[ Is this guy basically just a very fancy bum-slash-freeloader. ]

[inutilis]

Phone...? What? No, no, of course not...! I'm a priest, sir, the only word I need to hear is that of the Lord~!

[ teenagers are exhausting, and so Abel has to up the ante to counter this, naturally. ]

...Um, but seriously-- the only phones aren't anything like the one you have. You were checking for reception earlier, right? Is there any kind of signal out here?

[epiprocta]

[ Well, Abel's ploy certainly works. 'Priest,' he says, and Gen wrinkles his nose in a supremely unsubtle sign of disgust. Great, the last thing he needs is to be forced acquaintances with some annoying, preachy, religious man.

(Although it hasn't escaped his noticed that Abel hasn't so much as admonished him for his smoking or his violence. Maybe he's just a lousy preacher.) ]

No reception.

[ The question reminds him to pull his phone out to check again, just in case, but of course nothing's changed. Gen huffs before tossing his phone over for Abel to check if he wants; it's locked though, so he won't have access to much more than the dialing screen. Of course, the options are all in Japanese. ]

Might be able to connect it to the networks here or something eventually, I guess. [ Pause. ] Can you figure out how to use it?

[ What the hell did that even mean anyway, 'phones aren't anything like the ones you have.' ]

[inutilis]

[ Abel, helpfully, turns the phone over a few times as if it'll do a trick before he just starts hitting random numbers on the dial pad. touch screen; fancy...!! ]

Do you have something against the clergy, sir...? I saw that face.

[ and now he's holding the phone to his ear as if it is ringing. (it is not.) ]

Yes, hello? Yes, this is him. Ah, what...? You think Mister Closet could do with a lesson on manners and lightening up and being nicer to poor, innocent priests trying to survive coma fever dreams? ...Yes, please, by all means, tell him yourself. [ he is holding the phone out again, ]

Apparently it's for you.

[epiprocta]

[ He takes the phone back, just looking disdainfully at Abel for a moment. ]

Didn't know priests are allowed to be so annoying.

[ A low huff as he pockets his phone once more, looking back to the guards. He wants this briefing or whatever done with soon, just so he can get to somewhere quiet and gather his thoughts.

But before that, one more thing -- ]

And don't call me that again.

[ 'Mister Closet.' What kinda stupid moronic nickname is that. ... leaves a bad aftertaste, too. ]

[inutilis]

Priests aren't some species from another planet, hm? I'm afraid I fall victim to the same pitfalls as all the children of God's green earth, sir...

[ well! phone handed back off and Security waiting to usher them to the next foot of their travels, Abel hesitates but a moment. ]

Should we do introductions properly, then? You won't give it a swat if I offer you my hand for a shake, will you? ...I don't mind going about this officially, you know.