balance_memes | TDM #4: Welcome to Goldcliff

TDM #4: Welcome to Goldcliff

	RACES!? COUNT ME IN!
	NAVIGATION

WELCOME TO GOLDCLIFF

BACKGROUND

Goldcliff, a prosperous metropolitan city on the far reaches of Faerun, is world renowned for its acumen in business and finance. Empirores, queens, large scale business owners, and the occasional villain are all anonymously the same within the wealthy investors eyes of the famed Goldcliff Trust. Funding everything from wars to expansions to armies to town reconstruction efforts, it's had a long history of making particularly good and sound investments that have paid huge returns on interest over the last four centuries since its inception.

Sitting on high, Goldcliff is situated on- you can guess it- a cliff that performs as the fork for branches of the Crystal Gayle Rivers within the vast sprawling mass of the surrounding desert plains. Rushing over the edge is a waterfall that leads into a canyon below, and if not for the simple wealth, splendor and beauty of the nature behind the urban landscape, it also serves as one of the world's greatest vacation spots. Timeshares are bought into and coveted, restaurant reservations can be made up to years in advance for some of the creme de la creme hotspots, and no one goes anywhere without a handy, dandy copy of Zagart's Guide to Fine Dining. Zagart, a particularly keen gnome who fancies Goldcliff quite a lot himself, gives shining reviews to the trendiest and most interesting spots within town.

As much as she could probably use it herself, Lucretia does not send her Reclaimers here for a bit of R&R. It's no secret that the venture capital which funded the Bureau of Balance to begin with had started with an impassioned plea to the Goldcliff Trust, and as such, she owes them a bit of a debt: personal and business. Without their funding, the Moon Base wouldn't exist. Without the promise of trade routes to bring supplies to a location deep on the outskirts of the plains, Lucas and Maureen never would have been able to create and launch the center of her operation. The operation to save a world- no, all worlds from imminent destruction.

And as it stands right now, Goldcliff needs some of that help. The entire city has been laid siege with an uncontrollable plant growth, just at the eve of the annual regalia. You see, Goldcliff is also rather well known for something beyond dollars and sense, as it hosts a highly volatile and unscrupulously illegal event known as.

The Battle Wagon Races.

1. FEED ME, SEYMOUR

A. THE STATE OF THE CITY

Upon arriving, Goldcliff is in a bit of a bind. Literally, for the most part. Aside from citizens and vacation-goers running around rather frantically, several dangerous things are coming to a head around town and it's a good opportunity for Reclaimers to provide aid and assistance to those who need it. The city militia can only help so much here; most of their efforts are being widely spent in an attempt to stop a massive overgrowth of vines from toppling the Goldcliff Trust building. It's not just a symbolic center of the city, but rather, the collateral damage that it could cause to Goldcliff if pieces start to fall off or crumble could have far reaching effects on the stability of the town itself.

Here are some points of interest to interact with during your initial descent into town:

○ Fala Lefallir, owner of Sage Wisdom, a greenhouse that supplies raw materials to the local clinics in Goldcliff, has become completely trapped within her own brick and mortar. The size of this property is not something to underestimate: it takes up an entire city block, where Fala tends to each of her plants daily. It's a labor or love, but currently, the hedges and plant life here have determined that it's in desperate need of a renovation. You arrive on the scene to a maze, a labyrinthine structure that twists and turns, leading to numerous dead ends and nearly impossible to figure out passageways. At the heart of the maze, Fala has been trying to reason with an oversized venus fly trap. You better hurry; although it has some affinity for the half-elf who's given much of her time to care for this particular plant, it's rather unpredictable in its current state.

○ The local temple of Chauntea, goddess of the harvest, has a particularly unique problem that Brother Lance isn't quite sure what to do with or how to handle. Although it's not an immediate threat, the hydrangeas that normally line the inside of the church have come to life. Brilliant in color due to their bloom, they're currently situated in the choir box high above the rest of the pews that normally line its interior. They've taken up singing the good gospel. It doesn't seem that there's a massive threat to handle here, but as you enter to check in the environs, you realize really quickly why Brother Lance has his hands over his ears. They're all off tune, don't understand the value of a half-note, and honestly? It's just awful. They need some work. Or some weedkiller. The choice, of course, is up to you.

○ (cw: emetophobia, mild body horror) Shady Pines, a resort villa that boasts a beautiful water park within its gated confines has become impacted with an overgrowth of a particularly powerful pollen. People who came here for a reclusive siesta have become violently ill. There's a disease that these spores have been known to inflict upon its victim, known as hanahaki. Those who inhale the spores from the flowers growing around the vacation hot spot begin to find flower petals in their mouths and a rather upset stomach. And although that's the main symptom of the affliction, it's not uncommon for people to find themselves randomly finding petals sprouting from their hair, growing from their feet, or appearing around their hands. Legend has it, that the color of the petals that appears describes the state of your love life: vivid reds denote passion, yellow denotes longing, blue for jealousy, and black for "no chance at all." The cause of this is a patch of flowers that have become life like in size, located in the lobby of the main building. Be careful, this is a full on plants vs. zombies battle for you and your team.

2. THE GOLDCLIFF TRUST

The most prominent building in all of Goldcliff is a bank that towers with an exhilarating view over the canyon and the entirety of the bustling resort city. In its current state, however, long tendrils and vines completely block entrance into the bank at all. These thick, green vines cover every square inch of the architectural wonder and the frantic police of Goldcliff are currently scratching their heads about what to do in this entire situation. They're not inept, not in the slightest, but no matter what they try: setting fire to the plant growth, cutting it down, barraging it with shrinking magic... it seems to just grow back, even stronger.

If you have a way in, you can convince the militia captain, Captain Captain Bane to let you get a solid attempt at parting the mess. Looking closely, you can see that he has a bit of silver under his sleeve, and he immediately notices your Bureau of Balance bracer as well. It's an unspoken nod of agreement that he already trusts you because of your affiliation.

From here, the floor is yours. Your objective is to get inside the Goldcliff Trust and find out what's going on to cause all of this chaotic mess, but... you're going to have to be a little resourceful about the entry method.

Oh, and by the way. Did you know these vines can be charmed?

3. BANK HEIST

If you manage to make your way inside, you'll notice a scene of hedonistic excess. Gold plating lines almost every inch of various counter tops, walls, picture frames. Even the toilets are plated with the stuff. For the most part, the bank was evacuated the second things started to go south, so you're free and clear to explore and do as you see fit.

Aside from the giant treant that's currently noticed you. You're going to need to take that bad boy down, because he definitely doesn't want you to hit the elevator (it has the plaque of "MILLER INDUSTRIES" written above the door frame) and get to a higher floor. Act fast and swift, this mighty giant is impressively strong and can wipe out almost anything with one strong swipe. It's not particularly fast, which is something you can use to your advantage.

If you can manage to defeat or otherwise escape from this encounter, it's office space every floor up to the top. Some idiot decided that the top floor of this place should be number 69, so that's probably where you're headed. Here, you can notice a woman in a Raven's mask attempting to steal... something. You don't know what that is, and you absolutely won't be able to ambush her. She controls the power of gusts that can knock you back on your feet, and before you know it, you're left to scramble around and pick up the pieces of what just happened.

And wouldn't you know it? A curious halfling arrives on the scene, just in time to watch The Raven jump out of a 69th floor window. Her name, she introduces herself to you, is Hurley.

2. 5 FAST 6 FURIOUS... OR WHATEVER SEQUEL THEY'RE ON NOW

The best hint you have currently, and one that's spreading among the Reclaimers who had seen the Goldcliff Trust's HQ, is a woman who goes by the name of "The Raven." An unparalleled Battle Wagon Racer, the Raven has never missed a race since she put her petals to the medal. You can guess that the only way you're going to be able to confront her is if you're taking her head on with the rubber meeting the track. Reclusive and impossible to find, she keeps hidden in the shadows. Eventually, you might come across a halfling named Hurley who's seen what you've done in the city and how you've helped as much as you could have.

She tells you that The Raven is a friend of hers- a dear friend of hers who used to share the same idyllic love for the sport. But ever since she got her hands on a particularly powerful magic item, she's never been the same. That should send off Kill Bill sirens for you, as a Reclaimer, tasked with recovering said OP magic relics. Goldcliff seems to be in better shape after The Raven came and took what she was looking for from the Goldcliff Trust. No plant growth, no choirs of flowers. Things are back to normal, but that doesn't mean the city is safe.

4. OFF TO THE RACES

Since racing culture is questionably illegal within Goldcliff (yet everyone deeply loves it, which puts to question why in the world the local government hasn't sanctioned it yet- or maybe because it's not above the brass tax, the allure of its appeal is intentionally provoked), it's incredibly crucial for the average Battle Wagon Racer to pick up a mask to conceal their identity. Taking a stop at a local vendor will provide a number of options to choose from right off the bat. But there's also one that's a little farther off the beaten path; down an alleyway and you'll find yourself near an old tabaxi woman who offers to sell "Luxeria's Purrmium Masks."

The common theme between all these masquerade props is that they're modeled after some sort of an animal. That's just the tradition here in Goldcliff. Battle Wagon Racers conceal their identities, and it's commonly known that regulars like "The Shark Tank" or "The Raven" are a staple among big fans of the sport. You can pick from a decently varied list:

○ Ram
○ Owl
○ Bear
○ Mongoose
○ Dog
○ Deer
○ Grung
○ Tressym
○ Tortle
○ Wyrm

After you've picked your spirit animal, you can try it on, see how it fits. Nothing weird at all happens- but when you leave the alleyway, and any subsequent time you try the mask on for size, you'll find that it won't come off. See, these are actually enchanted masks that make you become similar to the animal whose visage you wear, both in mannerism and form. How deep and how far you go with this is, of course, up to you- but for 24 hours, you're stuck like this.

And then magically, it'll just fall off. Return to the same vendor the next day and you'll discover that there's nothing there. No stall, no receipts, no sign of anyone ever having a shop here. What a wild shape experience.

5. BE GAY, DO CRIMES

You have your racing stripes, you're prepared to enter yourself into the match, and everything looks like it's ready to proceed forward. One tiny hitch. You don't have a Battle Wagon. You're going to have to get your hands on one. And in order to get your hands on one, you're going to have to get those digits a little dirty.

○ Did you rob the Goldcliff Trust? Congrats, you heathen, that's the easiest way to get a Battle Wagon. Buy it outright and get ready to rumble. We hope your conscience is okay with that, though.

○ The Hammerhead Gang resides in a chained off garage near the outskirts of town. They're a bunch of greasers, but they've also been working on their newest Battle Wagon. The Mawch-212 has been rumored to climb to speeds of 80mph, and has a unique crystal engine that can support even higher speeds when overclocked. As you can imagine, they're rather secretive with the plans for it, so you might have to... sneak in and abscond with it in the dead of night. Or, trick one of the Hammerhead Gang into sponsoring you. Maarvey (or possibly, Maarvi, Maarvy, Maarvie, or Maarfie, depending on how you decide to spell it), the leader of the Gang is kind of, well, dim-witted. You know what to do here.

○ The New Leaf, an ironically named dive bar has been known to host a number of shady people, is a great place to look if you're in the green market for something around here. A cloaked Tabaxi sits in the corner, shrouded in mystery. He speaks with an awfully weird accent, one you might have heard from somewhere else, but he has a deck of cards with him and an appetite to win big or go home. Best him in a game of Queen's Call (instructions can be found here and the appropriate RNG thread can be utilized for your game), and you can walk away with a Battle Wagon of your own. Careful, if you lose, he's going to want some of your blood. What for? Who knows.

○ Make one. Okay, we know some of you might be lawful good, so there's an option to put one together from scraps. Hurley can help you with that, but if you get caught "[she] never met you before." You'll have to take some odd jobs around the city to get the requisite parts, but there's something kind of nice and almost zen about building one from the ground up. Careful, though, it's more than likely not going to be amazing in any way, shape or form- unless you have a mechanical know-how. This one is going to be hard to pull off a blue ribbon at the races.

3. CALL TO ARMS (WISDOM, STRENGTH): AND THEY'RE OFF

It's the day of the Great Battle Wagon Race, and you've gotten yourself entrenched with local politics, become the hero (or villain) of Goldcliff, and you're about to face off in the wildest chase of your life. Your goal here is to show The Raven that she can be beaten. Hurley's intent is to get you, or her, past the finish line first. Maybe that'll knock some sense into the corvine combatant long enough to realize that the relic she's currently wearing, the Gaia Sash, isn't doing anything good for her.

Of course, it's not just you who wants to take a stab at the throne. And when you play the game of races, you win or you...

Comfortably get ejected out of your seat and a safety harness bubbles around you, rolling you off to an undisclosed location so that you don't die outright. Killing people here is highly discouraged, although some fowl (sorry) play is more than welcome. You'll have to face off against 12 other racers, all employing their own tactics and battle styles. The enemies are, of course, up to you- but keep in mind that they should be in some way related to an animal.

Getting to The Raven is another story. Floor it. You're going to be up against all the elements when she sees you getting near, so be prepared. And just as the race comes to a close, she doesn't seem to want to back down: win or lose. You give chase to her, as she drives her Battle Wagon right off the cliff this metropolitan city is named for.

What rises up from the bottom of the ravine is something else. A tree- an impossibly large tree, 100 times the size of the one that inhabited the Goldcliff Trust, comes to life. You see The Raven driving up one of its massive branches.

Because in her mind, if she lost? It's time to blow this popsicle stand. For real.

What do you do?

4. A NOTE FROM YOUR MODS

Hello everyone and welcome to the fourth Balance TDM! Here are some quick notes for you:

The purpose of this TDM is to give you an idea of what our missions look like. It already assumes that your character has been initiated into the Bureau of Balance, and has been sent out on their first mission to retrieve a Grand Relic. To that end, threads in this TDM will not be considered game canon.

What we're aiming to do with Balance is a little different from your typical DWRP game. In a typical setting, the mods set up some NPCs that have limited contact with you, the player, under a very structured set of conditions. For example, The Director is one of those NPC types, as are her two counterparts (Davenport and Garfield).

However, in Balance, we'd like to take a moment to instill something early on as we run through this TDM of the game. We've listed a few NPC's and locations up there to give you a flavor of what the tone and pace of this mission should look like. Everything is on the table for you to sculpt, create, destroy, and remake as you test drive the system we have here in Balance. What we strive to do is a make a game that is, ultimately, completely decided by the players' actions and what they do within the frame that we give them. We're handing over the keys of the setting to you and we're completely confident that you'll be able to take a part of it and make it yours. Be amazing- not just in the sense of being amazing to each other and to your characters, but also with your character choices in-game. The world is completely malleable and up to you to meld, mend, repair, or bust.

In a nutshell, what we're saying is... go wild. It's okay not to ask permission for something cool you'd like to do. We've given you some outlines of events, but the story that you create as you thread these out is entirely yours. And we, as a mod team, can't wait to see what you bring to the table.

blurb code by photosynthesis

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

(canon point: [s] GAME OVER)

death by fic cliche (cw: emetophobia/body horror hanahaki stuff)

[It's not like he didn't know the petals would be black. His universe is dead. That doesn't do a lot for his romantic chances. But he's kind of pissed off that he's landed himself half a rainbow here, red and blue and yellow coming out of his lungs and messing with his breathing. He wears these shades for a fucking reason, several, even, and he is not appreciating this visual declaration of how phenomenally high school drama his romantic history is. Could it not just stick to black? Is "doomed beyond all salvageability" not enough? What goddamned bullshit.

So maybe it's a little bit personal when he draws his sword and stares down these shitty plants. And then gets interrupted by a hacking fit that has him splitting flower petals. Red this time. One stuck between his teeth. Ugh.] Fuck you too.

[That he mutters under his breath as he straightens himself up. No. Enemy. Gotta kill it. Focus. He addresses the person with him as he squares up against his mortal foe.] Unless you have any incendiaries, I'm taking this as my cue to go in.

be gay, do crimes

[Well. One out of two, anyway. It's not like Dirk objects to crimes. He definitely considers himself more inclined to the Chaotic or Neutral end of the spectrum than Lawful, because fuck the Batterwitch and screw the rules. However, Dirk absolutely does not trust anything made by anyone else. Yes, it's magic bullshit tech, but in a way he's been working with that since he was old enough to figure out machines, and this isn't his first time playing mechanic with half-foreign tech.

This is why Dirk can be found in a garage, covered in grease, his head underneath the chassis of... something. It'll be a battle wagon eventually. He doesn't look up, just hears footsteps and says,]

Hey. Can you pass me that screwdriver? The Pozidriv. It has a pink handle.

[For the record, he IS still wearing his stupid shades down there.]

Edited 2019-04-29 22:28 (UTC)

[Lyse is not the most mechanically inclined, and she'd rather not do a grand theft auto if she doesn't have to, which leaves... finding another team to attach herself to! She's doing this by applying in person, aka wandering into nearby garages and asking who's got room. Dirk's is actually the third she's tried, but the first where it's a fellow Bureau member, though she's only seen him in passing.

She locates the screwdriver in question - ] This one? [ - and crouches to hand it to him.]

... It's looking good so far! [Not that she'd really know if it wasn't.]

Thanks.

[He takes it without looking up, and there's a moment of silence as he finishes what he's doing. Despite his many claims to the contrary, he is not actually that good at multitasking, and this is weird work. But then he pokes his head out from underneath, looking at her.]

Are you familiar with automotive engineering?

[Look, he doesn't know. Maybe she's a Car Expert. She's got a bracer, at least, which means in theory that she's on his side.]

[Unfortunately, to be a Car Expert, it really helps to come from a world where cars are a thing. Outside of imports from other Final Fantasies, anyway.]

Me?? Oh, no, no. [She waves a hand sheepishly.] I'm not any kind of engineer, sorry. That's more of... well, it was more Cid's thing.

[Oh yeah, all our friends are dead. She does her best to shake off the despair, though. "For those we can yet save," Lyse! Never forget that!]

Um, actually, I was wondering - have you already got a team going?

dirk strider / homestuck / fighter probably

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