expiationlogs | MINGLE LOG: AUGUST

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MINGLE LOG: AUGUST

IT'S CASINO

What have the five NPCs that split off to work on their special project been doing all this time? Well, they’re ready to unveil it. The new NPCs as well as the locals hand out small pamphlets to invite the Chosen to a Great Unveiling that’s going to be done in the evening on the 21st of August. They encourage them to dress their best, and miraculously, Rin's tailor shop has new clothes for sale! When the time comes and the Chosen have begun to gather, the workers who have prepared this building so diligently cuts a bow up in front as the building flickers to life behind them.

It’s a casino! (Who knows where they got that idea.) Or rather, a new event hall. But right now, it looks like a pretty flashy casino.

Come on in!

ANTE UP!

I. DON'T BET THE HOUSE

Chosen who decide to meander past a grumpy man and into the casino itself are met with an opulent scene before them.

There's a large main hall, full of tables with games run by a surprising combination of fairies and local citizens from Aldrip. Further in, there's a massive space to lounge, socialize, and eat. Here you'll find couches for cozy conversation, tables for dining, and a cash bar on the side.

Rooms in the back offer more serious games--you may find a table of fairies playing poker, for example--but...some attendants may close the door to bar your entry, at least for now. These tables are for only the highest rollers, folks.

The sound of music may lead you further back, where you'll find a stage and musicians playing a plethora of music from different worlds that have gathered here, and a space to dance as well. For those who aren't the gambling sort, it seems as if there are still plenty of things to do.

Party away!

II. PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT

There is a grumpy-looking man in a small, dark room off the main hall of the Casino. He’s drumming his fingers on the table, and, if approached, is rather rude about it. He’ll try to chase onlookers out of the room, and then start groaning about how someone is “taking too long” and “not respecting his valuable time, for goodness sake!”

Shortly, some of the NPCs from the desert approach the room with giant sacks and lots of apologies. The tinkerer pulls tablets and cords out of the bags (some half-fixed thanks to industrious Chosen), throws his tools onto the table, and gets to work. He has tools to fix cracked screens and inner parts of the tablet to make them…work? Interesting.

For now, this tinkerer is not interactive, but he has some choice remarks for those brave–or brazen–enough to try socializing with him. Don’t just stand there! Hand me that screwdriver! or take this out to the dumpster around back, will ya? or even the occasional grab me a drink! It’s stuffier than an armpit in summer back here...though if you’re planning to run errands for him, be aware that his tab is not in good standing. If he wants you to run errands for him, you’re probably going to have to pick up the tab, either with coin or with work.

If someone were to look over his shoulder as he's doing his tinkering, they might see the words CYCLE 15 on the loading screen. Otherwise, it's just a lot of blue and black maintenance screens as he's essentially having to do a system restore of the tablets.

LUCK OF THE DRAW

The tables in the main room are where the more adventurous Chosen may go to gamble. Currently, NPCs are running the roulette and blackjack tables, but if someone wants to be the one to run these games, they won’t say no! There’s also slot machines from the sounds of the bells in the distance, so there’s plenty of ways to test your luck. Just be aware that there may be… consequences, whether your character does well or poorly at the games.

Below, there will be a comment section for players who may want the mod team to choose their luck for them. There are three options that you may choose:

You comment with a heads or tails, and we’ll roll the dice for the corresponding “good” or “bad” scenarios.

You comment with whether you want “good luck” or “bad luck” to happen to your character, and then we’ll roll for their consequences.

If you want to put your character's fate in our hands, you can just comment that you want us to rng it all!

SPOILERS: if you want bad effects to be a surprise, don't peek!

The “bad effects” are as follows: memory loss, temporarily loss of taste, can’t speak certain words for a couple of days, feel compelled to follow orders to the person they lost to (kind of like a King's Game), forced honesty, bad luck (which is entirely up to you, the player, on how to interpret this), and temporarily losing one ability of your choice for the next event.

If you want to participate and there’s something you’re not cool with us landing on for the bad effects, just let us know which ones you’re not comfortable with and we’ll leave it out of the rng pool!

A Note: The “good” and “bad” effects won here may have some mild influences on your character for the next event. Nothing life threatening or incapacitating, but just keep in mind if you want us to roll for your bad effects. If you want to just say you had shit luck in the slots and you don’t want your character to have any effects at all, this is fine. It’s not mandatory to have either effect happen to your character to have a good time playing in the casino.

WILDCARD

Go wild! This is a casino after all, and there’s supplies to play pretty much any gambling or card game laying around. If you can’t easily find it, an NPC would be more than happy to help a Chosen find the items they need to play the game they want. Want to play Go Fish while you drink your cocktail? That’s fine too. Anything goes!

A Note: This casino is going to be available in full capabilities until the end of the month. After that, the mod team will explain what’s going to become of it then and in the future!

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

I mean, you didn't believe me last time.

[ Not that Ange sounds offended about that. She knows her story sounds ridiculous, even when she's completely telling the truth.

It's more just a disclaimer - like she doesn't really expect Jinx to believe her this time either. ]

Like I told you, my brother was trapped by a witch. To be more specific about that this time, he was trapped into playing a game with her where she would kill my family over and over again, and he was the only one who could stop her from doing so.

[ Yes, Ange is just.. completely casually saying this in the middle of a casino. In the middle of a game. Why not?

It might even distract some of the other people at the table, if Jinx wants to cheat and try to move that small ball. ]

( people can practically see every bit of muscle in her tensing as the ball rattles around through all the numbers. but when it lands and rests on twenty-three, jinx grins wildly and roars out a loud laugh that could pierce the ears maybe. )

Ha ha ha! — See?! What did I tell you? You just gotta lose a few to win big!!

( doing a jig while the other players groan, she scoots her winning chips over to her corner. the stack itself is a few towers, somewhere between four to six. but whose counting? )

Edited 2023-09-12 14:48 (UTC)

( "intervention"? that's the difference between the monster and vi? how... does any of that make any lick of sense? maybe if her mind wasn't filled in a deep haze, jinx would comprehend this a lot better. but instead, the teen rolls her eyes and lazes more onto the couch. )

Ugh, whatever. I'm not going to drill my brain about it. Soooooo over it now.

( translation: i'm too drunk to deal with your riddles. )

[Boys don't want to be called cute!! Scott's about to protest, especially for the sake of his manly manliness pride, but he finds those particular words dying in his throat. It's not the worst to be called cute by Kotone and he wants to look at her again, but it's slightly hard to in his current position.]

Does that mean I'm always cute?

[Wow, nice one, Summers. He's just full of comebacks tonight.]

[She's not wrong and Scott doesn't even try to deny her completely accurate intuition about this. Why would he want to?

He slowly looks at her when she stands up and Scott feels himself struck entirely silent as she starts dancing in front of him. Just, what?? Like that's kind of odd in itself, but she's also still talking about murder and everything. People don't normally act this way when discussing super serious. He's not crazy thinking that, right?

Okay, his initial impression of her is really shifting. He doesn't think she's killed people herself or anything, or he doesn't want to just jump to that conclusion, but he'd be sort of side-eyeing her if he could, or if he was in the mood.]

...No? I don't know--no one can possibly know something like that. [Scott frowns slightly, not sure if he's comfortable with these philosophical questions.] ...Besides, they wouldn't. Their friends helped build this casino and a few houses just for us. They're... not bad.

[She snorts, then just laughs without answering. Mean to him-! Or maybe he can take that as an affirmative that yes, he's always cute, at least in her eyes.]

Fishing for compliments isn't cute! [she protests through her giggles, kicking his side lightly with her foot. Didn't she and Dazai give him a rating once...? They'd rated a bunch of the people in Aldrip, but it had been on a totally arbitrary scale that seemed to change from person to person, so she has no idea what they'd actually given him in the past.] But see? I knew you could carry me, no problem.

[His eyes aren't screwing up, right? Because even with his shades on, it's hard to miss how Ken's hair suddenly changed from one shade of red, to another, designating a change. That's pretty weird, maybe some ability of his? ...Wait, if he's from the same world as Kotone, they really don't have crap like that, besides Personas.

And Personas don't do that?? Says Scott, the Persona expert.

Okay, he has to say something.]

Wait, hold on. [He'll go back to playing in just a minute, because that can wait.] Uh, random question, does your hair normally change colors?

That's splendid. You'll be harder for anyone to manipulate if you have a backbone after all.

[ Still a ways away from 21 but close enough the exact same thing that happened before could happen again. It would be a snooze fest choosing the same move over and over anyways so Gogol waves a hand horizontally to indicate he won't take another card. ]

Huh.

( and that's all she says about that. because quite frankly, if she roped caitlyn or any enforcer into some twisted game -- she'd probably do something similar. to have them attempt to save their family but failing miserably every single chance that they got. it'd be an eye for an eye. they ruined her family, so it only makes sense to ruin theirs. )

Well, in this game no one dies unless I say so.

Ahahe hehe, is that so? You're sooooo over it?! Well since you definitely no longer want to know I'll tell you.

[ Go girl give us nothing! Unclear if he genuinely finds her drunk suffering delightful or not. ]

It's as simple as this-- ! Acting selflessly towards the marked makes the nasty side effects go away. How's that for a twist?

I don't make a habit of throwing punches, no. Terrible in a fight.

[ Judging by his tone, he's being entirely serious. ]

[ A pointed glance up from the cards tells Gogol just what Sigma thinks of that, but the moment is too crucial to be getting ahead of himself. There's still a chance he could lose, after all, and talking any more smack could backfire on him.

Still, he's cool as a cucumber when he nods to acknowledge the stand, flipping over his own two.

A queen and a six. 16. Slowly, a smile spreads across his face. ]

Well would you look at that. Turns out you're quite consistent.

No, it doesn't.

[He said almost immediately. Trying his best to not let such a thing bother him, it seems that he can't escape it. With a small sigh, he just found himself staring at said new hair color before mumbling to himself.]

...I wonder if that's why I was allowed in the casino. If this is the punishment I get for something in.

[ Gogol jumps as if the reveal of the cards is a legitimate jump scare. That one point difference is outrageous honestly. After today he's neeeeeeveeeerrr again playing cards without cheating. ]

I've never been this unlucky before!? ha haha ha.

[ Through smiling teeth: ]

But that's fine. So? What do you want done~

[ He makes a little show of considering, hand on his chin and everything, letting out a long, low, hmmmmmmmmmm...]

Close your eyes. Don't open them either until I tell you to or the ten minutes are up.

Aha? Really? That's really what you're going to ask for?

[ Oh wow ez plz trust exercise! Gogol shuts his eyes but because he's a little stinker he opens one eye back up in an exaggerated way for a second. Long enough for Sigma to notice at any rate. ]

It'll get old reaaal fast!

[ Notice he does, and takes the opportunity for a quick "zip it" motion. ] Ah-ah, didn't ask for commentary.

[ And once Gogol's eyes are actually closed, not another word. Not even any more sounds of movement, at least not as far as he can hear among all the other noises of the casino in the background. It stays like that maybe for a solid minute, as if Sigma's plan actually is to just wait this out...

And then there's a light touch to Gogol's hand. Feather-light, cautious, as if trying not to scare him away before slender fingers rest halfway against skin and halfway against those fashionably short gloves the clown is wearing. Once established, they move just as carefully as before, easing Gogol's hand up almost like a high-class greeting but doesn't stop until his palm is facing outward.

One more moment's pause, and what feels like soft lips gently press against the bare skin between Gogol's glove and his sleeve, right at his pulse. ]

No, I didn't mean it like that--

[Maybe another day, he would've laughed or at least smiled for causing Ange to react so much. It's probably the most he's seen out of her, but right now, he's angsting too much.]

I guess that, uh. [Wow, talking about feelings can be really hard. As in, really talking about them. He doesn't consider himself shy, but when it comes to deeper crap, he finds himself falling over his words. Scott resists the urge to poke at his food or do something with his hands, but he slowly meets her eyes again after a few moments of squirming in his seat.]

I didn't know you were looking after me. Um, that you were worried about me.

It was a simple question!

[But he laughs, stumbling just slightly, because apparently, trying to carry someone on his back while laughing is too many tasks for him. Luckily, he doesn't tumble over; it would be just a little embarrassing after she just complimented him! He'll use her words as fuel or something. That's how that works.]

You know, someone might get the wrong idea, watching us like this.

Careful!

[But she's still laughing, even when he stumbles. This is all she's wanted -- to spend time with him, close to him, laughing and having fun and not thinking about anything terrible.

So the idea that ~someone~ might get "the wrong idea" (whatever that means) doesn't faze her at all as she uses his grip on her legs as leverage to push herself taller.]

Anyone watching should mind their business! [she calls into the darkness with another laugh. That comment's almost certainly directed at Dazai, because even if she can't prove it, somehow Dazai always knows what she's been doing. Dropping her chin back down atop his head, she grins, utterly pleased with herself.] I don't care what ideas people have, as long as we're having fun.

[And not hurting anyone, but that goes without saying.]

[ The girl huffs. ]

That sounds so suspicious that it's practically a trope. [ Especially in a setting like this, right? A casino being built for a little while, but still relatively quickly enough that it almost feels like it suddenly appeared. A naturally shady business, and then something that obviously shady as Mizuki is describing happening there..

It's probably the sort of thing that ought to make one want to just walk out of here. To decide to do something better with their time.

Instead, Ange turns her head to look at the other girl. ]

You want to go check it out?

[ Who doesn't love checking out suspicious sacks in the back? ]

[ Claude grimaces in recognition. Caitlyn is fighting a different war than he is - a less literal one, perhaps - but it's not an unfamiliar notion. To attempt to work things out diplomatically has been more exhausting than Claude could have ever imagined. ]

They really do know how to argue around in circles, don't they? I can see why you'd want to try to circumvent all that. I won't lie -- I've wondered if it was possible for me to do the same. But... how will becoming an Enforcer help any of that?

[ It's a genuine question. Take it from a man who had only considered being able to change matters from the very top. He drums his fingers on the velvet surface of the table, with a muffled thump thump thump. ]

Are you guys going up against whatever's responsible for spreading that poison around or something?

[Listen, even if he is still keeping count, he's not gonna spring it in conversation right now. He'll wait til at least one more instance for comedic timing.

--anyway, he nods his agreement. They both deserve a drink.]

Considering the stressful moments we usually have, this one could have been a lot worse.

Geez, you kind of suck.

[He snorts into his arms, not caring if he's acting like a bratty teenager and everything. However, he actually starts to consider Sigma's words, his face turning slightly until he's staring to the side.]

I mean, yeah, I'd stop them. It'd be pretty easy and everything... and less destructive than firing optic blasts.

That's kind of weird...? I haven't heard of kids getting punished for stuff like this.

[He's seen some familiar faces since walking in and he didn't notice that their hair was any different. Well, it's kind of hard to tell, but he's pretty sure still. Scott raises a hand to his chin and looks at Ken's hair, as if he's truly thinking about this.]

I mean, I'm technically underage too, and my hair hasn't changed colors... err, right? It's supposed to be brown. [It would suck if his hair turned pink or something!!]

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MINGLE LOG: AUGUST

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