synflux | WELCOME TO THE AUCTION [ OPEN LOG FOR ALL ]

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WELCOME TO THE AUCTION [ OPEN LOG FOR ALL ]

WELCOME TO THE REDD ROOM

Neo Tokyo is a glittering and shining city that still prospers despite continuous kaiju attacks and natural disasters that plague it. However, there's more to Neo Tokyo than what meets the eye. Below its sparkling surface, there is another world that also flourishes out of sight for most. The people who live in this version of the city meet in the shadows and deal under the table, using cunning and power to secure their means. Instead of papers and feeds, this world receives news in the form of whispers and connections.

Rumors have been flying for months. They talk about long lost masterpieces, valuable information, and a certain recently discovered sword. The shadows whisper and share their opinions, making it known if they believe there's any credibility to the stories and if there's really anything to gain. While plenty is still unknown, what is known is that these rumors are beginning to converge and soon a name, a place, and a date will be chosen.

Those with enough money to live well in Neo-Tokyo rarely earn it honestly, and those with strong personalities all know who is the best broker of deals: Madame Redd. A divorcee who’s always found wearing a red-fox stole, she’s a wealthy arts dealer known for her keen eye, and propensity to occasionally sell fraudulent paintings to the unobservant client. She’s a sharp, witty woman who always seems to have a scheme up her sleeve, and hosting an event like this truly is where she’s at her most comfortable.

In a world where everything is done with technology, Redd opts for something more traditional. Securing an invitation means obtaining a simple, nondescript red card. With no name, address, or information on it, it's clear that having an invitation doesn't mean you'll be able to find the venue. However, by scanning the card with the right settings, a microchip embedded in the card will provide them with the information they need before wiping itself clean. Arrive to the venue, show your card, and pay your entrance fee.

To enter the gala, you need to pay a fee that proves you're serious. After all, this isn't a child's game. This is where the adults come to have fun and spend their hard won earnings. You will be prompted to scan your eye so they can read your implant and extract precious personal information. After uploading and submitting your identity as collateral, you'll finally be let in.

You are formally invited to the auction.

The gala

The Entertainment
Upon entering the venue, the invited will find themselves in a large, dimly lit room. The lights are low, obscuring corners and leaving plenty of areas out of sight. There's a veil of smoke in the air that occasionally flickers as lines of holographic light activate, displaying hologram menus and programs for the guests to peruse. There's plenty of plush and comfortable seating, chairs, and even private alcoves and rooms for any attendee to make their way into. Madame Redd runs a high-class establishment, that's catered toward any taste one can imagine.

At the front and center is a stage where a virtual singer with teal hair sings original songs and takes requests, providing vintage and modern tunes. As she sings, she dedicates her music to her fans and it's almost like her likeness shifts. She's the perfect idol, able to become the exact person you admire and love down to their appearance and voice. Even their mannerisms are the same and their songs draw you in, like a siren, making you want to devote yourself to your idol.

The Libations
The Bar is one of the few places that is brightly lit. Spotlights shine on the liquor shelves, showing off a wide array of spirits ranging from common and popular favorites to rare bottles that probably cost more than what the average salary is in the city. Be careful, but feel free to peruse the menu.

— Menu —

SONIC BOOM. Makes your hearing better, like you could hear secrets shared across the room. A fat-washed bourbon old-fashioned

THIRD RAIL. An electric lemonade that fills the drinker with the feeling that they need to yammer on incessantly. Like lightning on the tongue

LET'S DO THE MIND WARP AGAIN. A spicy tequila drink, it makes you more perceptive of the emotions of others to the point that you can get a sense of them empathically.

FATHER WINTER. Makes the area around you drop several degrees, to the point that glasses are frosted. A boozy mint hot chocolate.

VAMPIRE'S KISS. Makes consumers want to drink blood, and tastes of red fruit juices (and alcohol) (real fangs not included, but the drink comes with a pair of plastic fangs)

MOTHER EARTH. A red sangria that makes you feel like you're basking in a too-warm summer's sun.. It also makes you feel more impulsive and violent. Oops!

BURN DOWN FOR WHAT. Like having a redbull and a Celsius at once. Hyper enough that you might feel like you're moving faster than everyone else — and you might be! Several liquors topped off with LILITH-brand energy drink, served on fire with a high-proof float.

RIFT CORRUPTION. they SAY drinking could affect you in any number of random ways – truly dangerous! Really, it’s a virgin mocktail.

BEE POSITIVE. Will be able to communicate telepathically with other people who'd drank the same drink, a honey and gin concoction.

PLANTS DOWN. The aphro one, made with smuggled pollen. It’s a sweet and fruity drink that makes you think about lying down and having fun on the beach.

GILTTER. A drink with iridescent shades of purple, blue, and green. The bartender may challenge you to a round of dice to pay for drinks for everyone at the bar before serving.

coding

The menu contains some surprises

High Stakes Games
At some of the tables, you can put down your bets and play a round of cards or throw some dice. The stakes vary at each table, with some betting cash fortunes and others are more creative. At certain tables, people play for the thrill. They make dares that losers have to carry out and invite everyone to take a bit of risk. Some of these tables have clear shots lined up in simple glasses. After each loss, losers have to take shots, and while this might seem like a mere drinking game, it's more complicated. The shots have a sharp, tingly taste and a strong burn when it goes down. Not long after consumption, the loser will temporarily lose a sense.

However, it is not limited to the traditional five senses. You might also lose more metaphorical senses. You're playing a drink roulette and there's no telling what you might lose.

Traditional senses: Touch, taste, sight, hearing, smell
Perceptual senses: Balance, pain, space (spatial awareness), time
Abstract senses: Humor, justice, duty, honor, belonging, purpose, urgency, direction, judgment (common sense)

Effects can stack, so playing too long could be disastrous. Fortunately, the effects are also temporary and will usually wear off after a short amount of time. Every person is different so it depends on each person. Still, a lot can happen in a short period of time, and this is a dangerous environment to be vulnerable in, so it's best to drink responsibly.

The Back of the House
In contrast to the shiny, chromed-out and minimalist curves and neon lights up in the club and VIP section, the back of house or the alleyway and loading docks behind Madame Red’s club is darker, betraying the seedier underbelly of her establishment. Outsiders who feel uncomfortable in their skin on the best of days, and even worse when asked to polish up for an event can still make it in.

However, if Outsiders go that route, they will be informed that they’ll also need to keep their eyes and ears peeled in case of danger. Madame Redd has been helping with the rumors of this legendary missing Muramasa for months, and people are very interested in it. She’s not certain that there might be an attempt to steal it, but she is concerned, so Outsiders will need to listen in on conversations as they serve or act as security. However, if you’re acting as security, you’ll be required to wear a fox mask, to remain anonymous to everyone.

And in fact, while some members of the party are busy playing the game on the floor, the Outsiders helping out with the back of house will start to hear rumors from some of the rougher-looking staff members. From the rumors, they’ll discover that some of the staff corridors are being used by certain entities to get closer to the treasure being auctioned off tonight. After all, some elements want to keep the mystique, and what’s more exciting than a recently recovered ancient sword, than if it goes disappearing. So several of Neo-Tokyo’s crime syndicates are vying to steal it. Outsiders can choose to pit them against one another, redirect them using their positions as staff, coordinate with their fellow outsiders in the party proper, or even just straight up fight them! Anything goes, but Madame Redd’s directive was clear: This should not impact the Auction itself. No bringing the fight to the main floor!

THE AUCTION

The Auction
And what a main floor! The organizers clearly have gone all out for this special art auction – there’s holographic displays of everything from paintings to jewelry to the swords themselves, each identifiable with an ocular implant stating the object name, providence, and current bid. Much of the bidding is happening anonymously, but there are signs amongst the crowds on the floor of who might be attempting to outbid who. Outsiders are, of course, welcome to bet their Kryptos on just about anything under the sun, though the rarer and finer the object the more likely they are to be outbid. But there are some small art pieces that are feasible for Outsiders to win, should they choose to try.

Finely crafted silver bracelet with a heart charm from maker “Theophania”
A corner of Van Gogh’s “Scream” - something’s off about that
A certificate of ownership for a digital png of… you’re not sure, a monkey? Or is it a grape with a bored expression? Someone tells you that you can use it as an ‘icon’. (People have not used digital icons in at least 100 years)
“Girl with A Pearl Earring” – closer inspection reveals that the pearl is a red and white orb from a popular children’s cartoon from the beginning of the millennium, but did you look that closely at it before you won?
Colorful folder with a wild cat design, comes with a set of matching stickers
A hand crafted statue of a woman in a compromising pose and very little clothing. She looks heavily stylized and more like an animated piece
A glass rose
A nice lacquered box with a real pearl inlay of a nice ocean-related design
A pair of thick plastic shoes in something called ‘sport mode’
A painting with rectangles of color
Three smaller tantos (one listing for each)

Time for a Bidding War!

When someone wins an object (ten minutes go by without any bids), the staff will bring the individual into the back room where the real items are – proudly displayed and very securely guarded. No one is taking any chances. Well, there is one object that seems to be gaining a lot of attention, including significant press in the lead-up to the auction itself.

The one item not tucked away is the one that several Outsiders have been checking in on: Muramasa, Aventurine, and Silco, namely. It’s in the center of the main auction area, with appropriate mood lighting giving the blade a dangerous glow. A pressure-sensitive railing surrounds it, and if any Outsider so much as touches it, they and anyone around them will be ushered into a small room to be grilled by security. Yes, even if you accidentally did it. Getting out of questioning proves to be a time-intensive process, especially if you’ve indulged in any of the unsavory options of the evening.

Good luck!

The Heist Begins! (And where did Asaboo go??)
The highlight of the night is the betting war over the star of the show – the genuine “reclaimed” Muramasa sword, perfect and pristine. Madame Redd stands next to it as she tells the story of how it was found and brought to her by a secret faction within LILITH, as evidenced by Asaboo guarding it as well. She adjusts her fox-fur stole and expresses that it’s a great honor for her to present it tonight to auction to the highest bidder, someone who truly appreciates art, and history. The bidding commences, with several clearly Yakuza types offering increasingly large sums for the item.

That is, until a woman stands and offers an exorbitant amount, with a striped stole around her neck, her tone is laid back and belligerent. Madame Redd hisses out a soft oath to any outsiders who are nearby, but the woman laughs when one of the bidders folds, and she offers him a loan to keep going, if he’d like. A few escalations later, however, and the sword is indeed taken by the notoriously wealthy loan shark and arts dealer (and Madame Redd’s ex) Tammy Nook.

As the auction concludes, it’s time to indulge in the rest of the night's festivities – except the power flickers – and as the lights lift again, the sword is missing – along with Asaboo, who wouldn’t let go of it. Everyone will have to track down the thieves, since they can’t have gotten far, right? As Outsiders start spreading out to find the thieves, they’ll encounter new security that hadn’t been there before: humanoid machines that shift and jerk...until they project holograms of other Outsiders over their bodies. They’ll have to determine friend from foe, as those uploaded identities are now a danger, and they’ll have to fight their way through these false outsiders to try and keep chasing after the thieves! Someone had better save the sword (and Asaboo!) so it's time to fight your way through!

CODING BY

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Raidou's come for only two reasons: to admire swords, and his boyfriend in a suit. This whole thing seems shady as hell. He's no narc, but he'd also rather just not be involved. Besides, it's not like he ever has much money. He has no plans to bid on anything, especially after paying the entrance fee. He doesn't even much like parties like this, where he's not the one running it and therefore has no choice but to socialize. Ack. At least he cleans up well!

You can find him in the following places:

[A. Being in a place like this sets off his detective instincts. He spends a lot of time around the periphery, observing. He goes off to check out the pièce de résistance, from a distance of course. If you've come in to do the same, Raidou will stop you with a polite hand to the shoulder if you're getting too close to it.]

I wouldn't get too close.

[B. Well he might as well get a drink while he's here. With a not-so-secret sweet tooth, Raidou opts for the Third Rail. If you're at the bar with him, and know him at all, well... you're gonna know fast that something is up.]

This is pretty good. I never had alcoholic lemonade. What are you getting?

[C. Even with a drink or two in him, Raidou is ready for a fight. He carries his hammerspace gloves wherever he goes, so he can toss them on and have a sword at the ready at a moment's notice. He draws it now, trying to make his way through the machine Outsiders by trying to watch their movements. The robot counterparts aren't as fluid as their humans, so he'll work on taking them out. And, in case you are the one that's had a few too many to fight, he'll come to your rescue as well.]

[D. Wildcard for anything else! Enjoying the music, pining for the tantos that are up for auction, or hovering behind wherever Yuji is.]

( You know what Raidou needs? A not quite father figure coming to ooze along the bar, giving his drink a singular raised eyebrow. )

Are you old enough, Raidou-san? Not that I mind, I had a fake id too, but you don't seem like the kind of rule breaker. ( Is he just assuming he's a baby? Maybe. ) And no, I think I'll avoid those. I don't tend to experiment with my alcohol consumption.

[He's 19, so he's still a little bit baby. But try to tell this kid he's a kid and be met with resistance. He's been a little adult his entire life.]

Ah, well-- I mean, I was invited, and they served me.

[Flat, matter-of-fact.]

It's okay, I won't have others. I, ah, I don't have a lot of money to spend at something like this. This was-- a lot. But it's good. So it's worth it. It's lemonade, it doesn't even taste much like alcohol.

[Just because it's making him talk more doesn't mean it makes him better at talking.]

So if you do want something. And you like sweet drinks. You could try this one?

( Hm.

Hm. )

I might avoid it, I prefer sake anyway. ( Maybe Raidou's just a talkative drunk. And a lightweight. That seems likely. ) I was only teasing you anyway. You should drink if you want. You're enlisted in a war that isn't yours, you might as well reap a benefit or two.

[Right on one count. He's definitely a lightweight, but his limited drinking experience has proved that he actually gets even less talkative while drinking. He'll catch on soon enough.]

O-Oh. Well, thanks. Several people have told me that. That it's fine. But not to worry. I don't like drinking too much anyway. It's-- [Give him a moment to have his mouth catch up to his mind.] I-I don't know. I don't like it.

( He eyes Raidou up a little, something thoughtful in his eyes before he flags down the bartender. Geto orders a bottle of saki for himself, and then asks for water for his friend. There's no judgement in his voice, no taunt. He'll just keep an eye on him. )

It's not for everyone. And sometimes it takes time to get used to its effects. You're young, you'll figure it out. And even if you don't learn to like it, that's fine too. It's not a comment on who a person is. Plenty of people don't drink.

( He does, because he can crave the distance it gives. That's not necessarily something Raidou needs though. )

[Raidou is uncomfortable enough in many social situations. The idea of drinking too much and not having as much control over himself feels even worse.]

I do like things like this. [A sweet drink. Something that barely tastes of alcohol. Though, he's discovered he likes red wine, too.]. Unfortunately I don't have much of a taste for sake. Ah, my boss back home. At the detective agency. He had me try some we were gifted after a successful case. Said I earned it. And had a good laugh when I started coughing after drinking it.

[Narumi thought someone strong like Raidou could handle liquor, only to find out he was wrong.]

WELCOME TO THE REDD ROOM

The gala

THE AUCTION

Raidou Kuzunoha XIV | Devil Summoner | Everlight

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