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

[septieme]

[he didn't show signs of being eager to mooch earlier, is he changing his mind now...]

I try to, yes. We have enough free time, and it's cheaper to make your own food. The same goes for bringing homemade lunches, though the pricing at the office canteen isn't too bad either.

[no reason, huh... Mash XXX to doubt]

[inutilis]

[ no..... he would never do that. clearly. he is a man of integrity and class who does not mooch off of the benevolence of others. obviously.

...
.....

a-anyway, he nods his head in a most Understanding manner. mm. ah, yes. right. homemade lunches; absolutely. ]

Is there something in particular you like making...? You know, like a go-to dish you have fun cooking?

[septieme]

[ah yes of course, the Holy Church only employs men and women of upstanding character, said no one ever not even in fiction,]

Of course. Curry~! ♥

[...with like 500% the enthusiasm that she's shown towards anything else so far, more or less,

(also it's not so much "fun" cooking as it is eating it, but details, right fellow FattyDingDong?)]

[inutilis]

Curry? Really...?

[ not what he was expecting-- not that he really knows what he was expecting now that he thinks about it, honestly...? maybe a French dish? some kind of home comfort food? but maybe Curry is that for her, he doesn't know.

Abel finds himself chuckling in response, before clasping his hands together in a sort of satisfied excitement. ]

Well~! What kind of curry is your favorite...? There are all sorts of different kinds, right? Do you like the spicy sort, or maybe something on the sweeter side~?

[septieme]

I like spicy food in general, but curry stands out even among those! Of course there's no beating authentic spices from India, but the more mellow ones from Japan and the spicy-but-in-different-ways from Korea and Thailand are good too, of course. At home it's not very difficult to make, you just need the right spice base. You can prepare a whole pot at once and it goes well with rice, so it's good for [--fattydingdong portions--] several meals too. It can be made with any type of meat as protein, which can also be substituted with tofu for vegetarians. You can even put stuff like coconut milk and dark chocolate in it, the possibilities are totally endless~!

[amazing, it's like listening to a high school girl gush about her first crush, with how her face just lights up like a Christmas tree or something...! there we have it, wonder what her favorite food is? 🤔]

[inutilis]

[ oh... wow. wow, he recognizes the childlike excitement behind her every word, the passion that sparkles with an unbridled joy in her eyes. this...

this is love. Ciel... loves curry.

...he truly is with his people. a fattydingdong of the highest caliber... he has found one of his kin... a-ah...

Abel is leaning in just a bit as he takes in every last detail of her explanation as if she is extolling the single most important thing he has ever heard. ...what? Food People must support their own, okay?? he is HERE for her, HERE for this, GIRL SPILL THE TEA CURRY, every last drop!! ]

W-wow, I never realized there were so many different ways it could be prepared... Dark chocolate? --Really? What kind is made with dark chocolate?

[ they are going to have a Curry Weekend. Abel has decided this is happening. by GOD, they are having a Curry Weekend. ]

[septieme]

[And thank God she can still have curry in Gloucester Massachusetts USA! How would she ever survive a curry-less environment, it'd surely be a world far too ghastly to imagine. May just grow a complex out of her from deprivation too, but thankfully where they are now is not that kind of despairing wasteland, bless 🙏]

They go best with Japanese and Indian curry, in my opinion! Think about it: dark chocolate is bitter and fragrant with a hint of sweetness, so of course it would enrich most curry mixes. Coffee and fruits can be used similarly, all sorts of personal touches can be added depending on preference~!

[F A T T Y D I N G D O N G S]

[inutilis]

[ ...ha. this is especially endearing, and Abel has to actively work not to let a fond, lopsided grin overtake his face and betray his second-hand delight in observing hers. ]

Ahh, you're painting my tastebuds quite the culinary picture, you know that~? If I wasn't super hungry before, I am now...! You know, Ciel, I'd quite like to try my hand at making curry one of these days... I don't suppose you would be willing to help me make a big pot one day, would you? --You can give me a list of what we need and I'll get it all~! You can have the leftovers, too, if you want?

[septieme]

[does she even notice whether she's enabling him thru FOOD or just her own girlish excitement? ...actually, what difference does it even make, so maybe that's not important. But whatever the case, she's definitely off to her own little world...]

I'm very happy for your interest, but I'm afraid you'll have to prove yourself to me first before I let you try making any. I can't permit perfectly good curry ingredients to go to waste, you understand? [She's still smiling brightly, there's absolutely nothing off about the air around them.] So let's start things in the proper order: can you cook, Father?

[...]

[inutilis]

[ ah. ...ah. Abel's smile appears a little more frozen, and he is tilting his head ever so slightly... ]

P-permit...?

[ she cannot PERMIT HIM to waste curry ingredients?!?!?! wow. wow... ]

Can I cook...? Hm. Well, I can make toast with butter with exceptional skill, and my peanut butter sandwiches? To die for~! Does that answer your question...? Do I pass the test~?

[ no.

no, he cannot cook. if it is not immediately obvious. ]

[septieme]

[Without missing a beat, in the same tone as someone may go "I KNEW it wasn't going to rain today":]

That's what I thought. Absolutely out of the question, then: I will not help you. It would be an affront to my conscience.

[but also as a fattydingdong curry lover, mostly the latter,]

[inutilis]

[ a man tries to do a good deed, and this is the thanks he gets... can we get an F in the chat,

Abel gently lifts a hand to adjust the sit of the glasses on his face, smile unwavering despite this grievous blow to his ego (spoiler: no damage was taken, as one must possess an ego to be dealt damage, big brain shit) ]

Ah. Well. In that case... what if I bring the ingredients and observe a master at work...? You know, until my culinary skills reach a satisfactory level that I might join you. I mean-- I'd be happy to serve as a sous chef... even a simpleton like me can dice or stir, you know~!

[ let him enable her addiction..... LET HIM, ]

[septieme]

[He really puts the fool in foolproof, a round of applause more like for that galaxy brain tier reasoning,]

How astute of you! That's right, my unwillingness to help you is unrelated to your potential role as an observer... or assistant! Those are still possible, but you'll have forgive me for having reservations about your helper prospects for the moment. Can you fry eggs or make steamed rice, for starters?

[a fattydingdong party really is all but inevitable at this point, isn't it,]

[inutilis]

Um-- Ciel, I have to admit... the only cooking I've done has been in severe desperation and usually involved a toaster or salting raw vegetables, I'm afraid~!

[ this is, sadly, completely true... ]

M-maybe it'd be best to solidify my position as an observer, for now! ...Or I can be on washing duty! That task I can certainly handle, how about that...?

[septieme]

...Goodness, you sound hopeless. [And British.

...that is! it's a wonder that she's saying this now when she's already suffered thru this beanpole's company since midday tbh,] Yes, one thing at a time. Why don't you take this opportunity to learn, now that you're here? There should be bookstores stocking simple beginner recipes, you should have some free time outside of ADI work, and cooking at home will save you money in the long run.

[inutilis]

It's something I'm beginning to realize I might need to put some time into for sure, you're right...

[ but the way he says it-- it sounds like Abel is not particularly thrilled by this slow realization he has been coming to. yes, the slight sag of his shoulders would certainly indicate that much. ]

It's just-- I am far better at eating than I've ever been at cooking, you know? Some people have a natural knack for it, but I seem to be missing that particular bone in my body. You know, the cooking bone?

[ yes, the cooking bone. as you do. ]

[septieme]

Nonsense. The knowledge to eat is tied to basic survival, so of course every living being knows how to do it. Cooking on the other hand is a skill, and like any other skill, takes practice to hone and perfect. If you've never learned and practiced something properly, how can you expect to be good at it?

[Meanwhile her back is perfectly upright and she's going on like a kindergarten teacher lecturing the kids she's looking after.]

That is to say, if you're serious about making your own curry someday, you definitely need to learn how to cook the right way first. Are you truly committed, Father Abel Nightroad, or are you just paying me lip service because you want to eat what I make?

[lbr... don't lie, what's the truth here]

[inutilis]

[ this feels So Familiar and he can't put his finger on why.... HMM... hmm, why does this feel so familiar? hmm, 🤔

Abel's back is straightening as she goes on-- as if he is instinctually responding to her tone of voice and that is the only appropriate reaction one could have, ]

R-right! Right, practice makes perfect...! [ nodding along in assent, mmhm, ] Miss Ciel... [ he leans a little closer, abruptly reaching out and seizing her hands in his own with the FLAME OF INSPIRATION behind his eyes!!! ] --Then I can become your protégé, do you think?! Your words have moved me!! To think you believe even someone of so little skill and absolute wretched luck with two left feet and no sense of a refined palate whatsoever might be able to cook like a pro one day... I-I'll give it my best!!

[ somehow he has volunteered her to teach him. somehow. somehow that happened. ]

[septieme]

[oh gross he's got his GRUBBY PAWS on her... well ok as long he doesn't make her drop her cookie bag, guess she can put up with it... every excitable dog licks your face all over after all, this is basically the human-limbed version of that right]

Pro? Don't get ahead of yourself. It's going to take a lot of hard work, you know. But everyone has to start somewhere, so maybe you just haven't had a chance to get going properly yet.

[...]

Start small first, okay? And make sure the fire alarm in your unit is in good working order.

[...what has she gotten herself into]

[inutilis]

[ start small... mm, yes, very small. very, very, very small, ]

Mm, right, right~! I should probably warn my roommates, too. Y-you know, just in case. [ tfw Abel is kicked onto the street week one, pls look forward to it,

...is the bus approaching their stop yet? it might be. ]

What do you think is a good launching point? Do you have a suggestion for my debut?

[septieme]

[Looking at him with a Bit of concern, now...]

Fry some eggs, sunny side up? Mac and cheese or pasta can work too, you can buy canned or bottled premade sauce at the store.

[While ducking a bit from his ray of INSPIRATION so that she can peer out from the window, ah, should be within a couple more stops, almost there.

...Did he let her hands go yet]

[inutilis]

[ ...........no, though he seems to have forgotten he is holding them. or maybe he is just. very passionate about his first meal?? no, he probably forgot. ]

Pasta~! Ah, who doesn't love a good pasta?! It can't be that hard to cook, right...?

[ right, Ciel? ...r-right?

if one of the apartment buildings burns to the ground in the next few days, she'll be the first one who knows why, ]

Perfect! Then it's settled...! I'll be sure to report back how it went when I'm done, okay? Look forward to it~!

[septieme]

[...it's mostly just boiling water and putting noodles in, drain them after they're spaghet, and then dump the sauce

HOW INDEED CAN YOU FUCK IT UP

(don't answer that)]

...You can call or text me if you have questions. [she doesn't need to be physically present to supervise some man she JUST met today making PASTA, does she?

(don't answer THAT either)]

--Ah, and we're almost there! Can you... please let go of my hands, Father?

[they're probably also getting stared at... causing a scene wherever they go, smh]

[inutilis]

[ guess she will find out when he's done precisely how that can be fucked up, she will find out... oh, she will find out,

...

right, right, the phone really is nifty huh-- he nods along to this, and then--

--abruptly releases her hands with a bright pink flush to his face, clearing his throat awkwardly which turns into an embarrassed sort of chuckle, h... haha, whoops, ]

C-carried away, I got a bit carried away, didn't I...? Sorry, Ciel-- pardon me...! Um, so... I guess since we're almost home, I should give my thanks again for your help today... You really were a life saver~!

[septieme]

[She's pressing the STOP button to request next stop once he does... Finally free, but also nice timing!]

You have a tendency for that, I'm starting to feel. Aha... The buildings are all in the same area, so we'll probably be going the same way too after we get off, you know?

[She is getting to her feet and shuffling to the bus' back door once he lets go though, they're almost there. Can he even recognize the area...? a dog would, so hmm 🤔]