calderamemes | TDM #1: WELCOME VISITORS

TDM #1

It happens in an instant. A heavy weight in your gut, a trembling of your limbs, the world spins and you barely have time to register that you're falling before you lose consciousness. And when you awaken, it's not where you were last. Dark, unadorned oak walls surround you in a tiny room, the only furniture the bed you are currently resting upon, and the bedside table with a folded piece of parchment resting atop it that simply reads:

“The Tavernkeeper is awaiting your arrival downstairs.”

As you exit you find others like yourself emerging from the surrounding rooms. You are indeed in a tavern, but there is no hustle and bustle one might think to hear in such a place. The only person down on the main floor is a humanoid figure wiping down the bar, who smiles when they see you. They're familiar, but not, and you can't quite place their face. For some reason, however, their presence is comforting and warm.

“Welcome, Visitor. I'm sure you have a lot of questions.”

And you most certainly do.

SIT, STAY A WHILE

The Tavernkeeper offers more than just answers. This is a tavern after all, and what is a tavern without drinks?

"I know just what you need." They say, giving you little time to reply before some manner of drink (alcoholic or not) is set before you.

DRINK MENU

PEOPLE SKILLS: A deceptively simple looking cocktail that when imbibed makes one feel very social. Time to make friends and influence people!

A SPOT OF COURAGE: a tasty concoction so nice on the tongue it loosens it up. You suddenly want to reveal something about yourself!

SKY HIGH: a fizzy blue drink billowing with white smoke and served with a lemon slice as a garnish. It has been known to make the drinker giggly and sometimes even float a few feet off the ground.

CRYING FROG: a swirling bright green drink that makes you want to cry - or is it something else about this place that just makes you want to tear up…

SHARING IS CARING: a large, delicious frozen concoction that comes with two straws. You can't finish it alone! (No, like, you quite literally can't finish it alone.)

52 PICKUP: It's just whiskey. But for some reason it really puts you in the mood for cards, or a game of mahjong, maybe a couple rounds of checkers

QUICKSAND: The thickest chocolate milkshake you've ever had. The flavour is rich and delicious, but it moves like concrete. Sucking it up the straw takes effort. Makes the drinker mellow and lethargic. It's all good, man. Don't worry, be happy.

BEER: Beer? I thought you said bear! (animal transformation)

SEX ON THE BEACH: literally just sex on the beach, but also an aphrodisiac. Have fun! (The rooms upstairs are still open, for the record…)

CHOOSE YOUR DESTINY

As the effects of your drink wear off, the Tavernkeeper speaks once more:

”It is time, my friends, for you to find your new homes.”

You are compelled to walk through the only door leading out of the tavern, finding yourself not outside, but in a deep black, seemingly endless room with five portals arranged in a circle. As the last of you leave and the door closes behind you, gone when you look back again and replaced with nothing but that black void, three of the portals illuminate:

The first portal is surrounded by an almost blinding light, prismatic rainbows shining brightly in the dewy air outside of the tavern. A soft breeze may gently caress you, pulling you toward it. The portal seems to lead to a city in the clouds, airships and winged beings of all sorts soaring through the skies. Of the little bits of visible land, much of it boasts giant waterfalls that look like clouds melting into the land below. The portal calls to those who crave independence and freedom; and especially to anyone that wishes to find the strong bond of a family not forged in blood.

The second portal is encircled by a fairy ring of spotted white capped mushrooms, the faint scent of damp stone and rich earth wafting from within the faint green glow. Peering inside, one can see a sprawling harbor city of gray hewn stone, a melting pot of humanoid beings going about their day, and beyond, rolling green farmland and cottages clustered in small villages. This portal is destined for those who crave stability and solid ground beneath their feet. A simple life, an adventurous one, and everything in between can be found within.

The last portal is adorned with shells and seaweed, the glow of blue around it catching on droplets cascading down the circular opening. Beyond it you see a city housed inside a massive bubble deep under the ocean, spiraling towers encrusted with coral, and a variety of different creatures mingling about the streets. Outside of that bubble, merfolk swim, a massive squid engulfs the view from the portal as it smoothly glides through the water, and schools of fish disperse as it passes. A sanctuary in the sea that calls to those with a hunger for knowledge and a desire to aid those in need. Or perhaps it is the mystery that beckons you - the lure of the unknown in the depths that bids you explore it.

A NEW NORMAL

Upon following the pull of the breeze through the first portal, you are thrust into the beauty of a lively city that goes by the name of Heaven's Bow. Much of this main city feels exactly as you would expect on a city below, but there are clouds surrounding every direction you look. The walls of buildings are made with light-colored limestone, and buildings are generally built up to heights made even more grandiose by their position in the sky.

The Skyfall Docks are the first thing you notice, boasting hundreds of airships sailing in and out across the clouds with shouts that accompany a typical port city. Just outside is a fantastic market with goods not only from the other regions of Caldera, but from what some shopkeepers claim are other worlds--items sold or left behind by Visitors. Almost anything can be found in the markets if one is willing to look hard enough. Transport to other locations throughout the sky and even to the land or sea can be found here.

If the docks are too lively for you, you may instead find yourself roaming the underbelly of Heaven's Bow and finding brothels and gambling parlors filled with the promise of pleasure and fortune. The guild house for the Sylphs can be found here as well, giving out quests and training to prospective adventurers and guards alike--though none of them seem concerned with the illicit activities that surround them. Perhaps the freedom the Sylphs boast of extends to what others may deem an undesirable activity.

But most curious of all, you find a shimmering opal gemstone in your hand. When placed anywhere on the body, it will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

If it was the second portal that called to you, you will find yourself in the busy city of Grey Ward, with its cobblestone streets and sturdy grey stone buildings. You are in the heart of the city, the Glass Market, so named for the colorful stained glass windows of the surrounding buildings. The scent of cooking food and the sound of barkers fills the air; watchful guards keep an eye out for pickpockets and thieves, and citizens go about their day. From here, one can investigate the rest of the city: the Sundown Docks, where both sea and sky faring skips transport people and goods. The Soot Spire, home of inventors and engineers. The Hearthstill, the main residential area. The Downs, a smaller residential area for those with less means.

Outside the city walls, one can explore acres of farmlands to the east and west, or follow Terra’s Pass to the less settled areas, but take care. Past the Skyward Range, out in the smaller burrows and villages, the influence of the city guard diminishes quickly, and you’ll have to keep your wits about you. Bandits along the road are always a risk, and the wildlife are less controlled by regimented hunting.

In your hand is a gemstone, a brilliantly green emerald that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

If the last portal beckoned you through it, you find yourself within that bubble covered city beneath the sea, the city of Salt Spire. Your ears pop with the change in pressure, and the smell of the salty sea fills your nostrils. All around you buildings made of dark stone encrusted with coral and seagrass tower high above your head, the backdrop outside the dome a deep blue, seemingly endless sea filled with fish and merfolk and all other manner of creature swimming through the water. You stand in the heart of it all, surrounded by people with gils on their necks and scales upon their vibrantly colored skin, all of whom seem intrigued by your arrival. You have many options of where to visit in the city under the sea, but where oh where will you go first?

The Salt Spire Library is right before you, an impossibly large building housing thousands upon thousands of books of all genres. Fiction, non-fiction, romance and mystery and all between. You may even find books from your world and others! Oddly enough though, no Calderan history books are to be found, and if you ask for them, the librarians and locals all choose to ignore your questions.

If scholarly pursuits aren't to your interest currently, perhaps a trip to Bluetide Market would be more your style? The marketplace is host to every manner of shop one might ever need: artisans of all varieties, apothecaries and healers in the Shimmer Quarter, the most in fashion undersea clothing shops, food stalls, and all between can be found in Bluetide. There are also the Tideshore and Fogbottom docks on either end of the city. The former allows transport to the surface via large, magical bubbles for those that cannot hold their breath or make the swim themselves yet. The latter allows people to venture further into the sea. Those without their underwater abilities are offered rebreathers for travel that last for four hours before needing to be replaced.

In your hand is a gemstone, a shining sapphire that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

Visitors in all starter cities are offered a standard home with basic necessities provided (your choice in design, etc.) that can house 1-4 people if they so choose. Home upgrades can be purchased via rewards.

THE QUESTBOARD

Settled in? Good. It's time to make your way to the Questboard located in every city in numerous, easy to access locations. That is, if you want to make any kind of impact on the world or just get some Bones for anything you might wish to purchase. Visitors are given a very small stipend in which to survive every month, but all it does is keep you fed and housed. These quests will assure you greater wealth, and they're the main reason you're here: each finished quest helps the Calderans fix their shattering world.

Quests can be accepted at the questboard via magically signed parchment upon the board. Just sign your name to accept and the paper will be whisked away... somewhere. You're not actually sure. Probably nothing to concern yourself with.

Once quests are completed, earned Bones will be dropped off at the character's residence by Bonita, the mysterious artisan who has supposedly handcrafted every Bone circulating in Caldera. Please do not speak to her, she startles easily.

OOC

Welcome to Caldera's first TDM! All characters awaken in a strange tavern with nothing save the clothes on their backs, all of their powers stripped, and a piece of parchment directing them downstairs to the Tavernkeeper. There is a thread of all questions answered by the Tavernkeeper here, and if you have more, feel free to ask there for what would be offered ICly. For OOC questions, please direct them here.

All locations are available to be explored! Please mind that it is an active work in progress and will hopefully be finalized by June 8th.

We are looking at an opening date of July 1st with reserves opening on June 28th and and applications on opening day.

The TDM is game canon and all completed quests can be carried over once accepted into the game.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[The sudden break in silence made Shadowheart start, her surprise quickly turning to embarrassment as she realized she'd let herself forget her surroundings. She looked to the elf (?) and frowned, gesturing at the craggy shoreline.]

Only annoyed. I've been here for a candleslength and seen not so much as a scale.

[Which would probably only make sense if she were also here on the same quest, so she added quickly:] I'm looking for sea serpents.

Ah. ( She hadn't taken that particular quest — dangerous, especially without her magic because, let's face it, she was useless without it in a combat situation — but she was on the hunt nearby for oysters to somehow pry open, and missing out on Bones for the sake of helping someone else instead was perfectly on brand for her. )

They may be further into the water... ( Perhaps that was an unhelpful suggestion, given how obvious it might have seemed. ) I can help you look, if you like. My name is Lioriley.

Shadowheart, [she replied, touching her fingers to her chest, then up to press against her forehead. Further into the water. Of course. Suddenly, she had a very bad headache...]

I was hoping to avoid going deeper in. I can't swim.

... I can see how that might pose a problem.

( Lioriley could swim. Would do so far better with her ability to breathe underwater and withstand the chill of the sea, but that didn't matter overmuch to her. ) Presuming we will be in this realm for some time, I would be inclined to offer to teach you. Until then... perhaps I can go and look? If I recall correctly, shed scales should not be too far from the shore.

( this was a terrible fucking idea. )

[Considering whatever deities rule this world decided it would be a good idea to stick Shadowheart in the underwater faction... she should probably take that offer.

In the meantime, she looked further out to sea, rubbing her chin in thought.]

I would be willing to split the winnings with you, if you would. [It didn't matter that Lioriley was going to do all the work, apparently.]

A generous offer, but unnecessary. I have not signed that particular contract anyway. ( Apparently??? It really didn't matter.

Lioriley toed her boots off, unrolled her stockings from her legs to reveal more glowing lines pulsing around her calves, and pinned her dress up high. She did not intend to fully submerge herself if she could avoid it, instead wading into the rolling waves up to her waist. )

Do call out if you happen to see a serpent that I might miss! ( aka: watch her back, please. )

[Shadowheart politely averted her gaze as Lioriley adjusted her clothing, only looking back when she heard her call out. For a brief moment, she felt a pang of jealousy that she so confidently strode in the water, but brushed it off.

Further out, it was unsurprisingly harder to see what was going on under the bobbing waves, and Shadowheart shaded her eyes with a flat hand to better track the surface. So far, so good...]

Any luck?

( For a few moments? Nothing. Lioriley treaded deeper, the hem of her dress soaking up the salty water as the waves rolled over her. )

I am afraid not— Oh! ( A shimmer just under the surface. Lioriley decided, against her better judgement, to just accept that her dress would be ruined because the alternative was stripping in front of Shadowheart and she really did not feel the need to so. Fine.

Suddenly, she dipped under the water, the chill more shocking than she anticipated after spending so much of her life not being able to feel it. A scale glimmered on a patch of coral below her, and she swam to get it, snatching it up just as a serpent crested the water above her, clear enough for Shadowheart to see. It didn't seem to notice Lioriley. For now, but she was... kind of stuck for the time being. )

Oh—! [There was no point in shouting, as she doubted Lioriley would be able to hear her below the surface with the waves rolling above her.

Gritting her teeth, Shadowheart hurried deeper as quickly as the water would allow, hoping to... well, she hadn't thought that far yet. But maybe if she worked quickly—

The sea serpent crested again, and Shadowheart sprang, snatching it up just behind the skull and holding it aloft. This was also a terrible fucking idea, which she realized as the creature began to thrash, trying to twist its head to bite her.] Gods— hurry, would you!

( Lioriley attempted to hatch some sort of plan — maneuver under the thing and pop up a few feet away from it and swim to shore, maybe. Hold her breath for as long as she could and pray, alternatively —

— or Shadowheart could grab the thing with her bare hands? SURE. Lioriley swam to the surface quickly beside Shadowheart, grasped her arm, and made to try and yank her back to shore. ) Release it! ( Just in case she was panicking and didn't think to do that. God knows it can happen. )

[Wisdom check go brrr. Shadowheart was certainly not ready to release the creature, so it tremendously helped that at least one of them still had a functioning brain. (If asked, she was simply going to blame it on how cold the water was.)

As if it suddenly occurred to her, she flung the sea serpent away as hard as she could, then turned to flee in damnable slow motion thanks to the drag of the water. Somewhere in the distance, the serpent delicately splashed back down into the sea.]

( Lioriley kept a hold on her arm, insistently pulling her inland as the beast splashed back into the water. By the time they were back on relatively dry land, Lioriley was soaked to the bone and panting, leylines pulsing so hard they were bright white and sparking. )

Gods- are you all right? ( She did not notice yet, but their hilarious misadventure was not so terrible- she had a scale in her hand, and a few more had been tossed onto the beach from the serpents flailing. )

[Shadowheart didn't respond immediately, too busy hacking up water. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, shaking her head—] Fine— [And then stopped and looked down at her palm.

She had apparently also grabbed a handful of scales when she was holding the creature. She frowned, trying to flick them off, though they clung wetly to her skin.]

Not an entirely disastrous attempt, I suppose.

( Standing upright and assured Shadowheart wasn't going to die, she took a good look around — spotted the scales scattered in the sand, the ones in Shadowheart's hands, and her own. )

You will surely get Bones plenty for this. ( and if allowed, she would try to assist in removing them from her hand, tossing them into the bag she had intended to use for pearls.

It's fine. )

[That had Shadowheart laughing dryly, allowing Lioriley to take some scales as she scraped off the rest into her own bag. What a strange world this is, to call currency such a thing.]

I've certainly done stranger things for money. Thank you for helping me. I'm sure I'd still be walking along the shore without anything to show for it if you hadn't.

You are welcome. I am happy to help. ( Even if she got nothing out of it currency wise. )

Think of it this way - now, you can enjoy the sight of the sea all you wish without worrying for scales.

TDM #1: WELCOME VISITORS

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