Seasons Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
seasonsmods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
seasonsgreetings2024-02-16 09:50 am
seasonsmods) wrote in seasonsgreetings2024-02-16 09:50 am
Entry tags:
Test Drive Meme #7
Test Drive Meme #7
LOGS | NETWORK | OOC | MEMES | NAVIGATION
You arrive in an unknown space, dressed in white clothes (player choice what kind of clothes, as long as they cover everything). Whatever was happening to you before no longer happens. It's like everything was put on a pause and you were transferred away from the situation without you realizing it happened.
The space that you find yourself in is one of these four options:
An empty landscape filled with snow and ice, almost like a blank canvas.
A field with cherry blossom trees and spring flowers.
A sunny beach near an ocean that seems never ending.
A quiet forest with falling autumn leaves.
All of the spaces seem to continue endlessly. No matter where or how far you walk it almost seems like you're not moving at all. There are no animals here - just those who happened to wake up there at the same time, in the same place. Everyone is wearing the same kind of plain, white clothes.
Despite the possible rollercoaster of emotions you might be feeling, the place somehow feels familiar. Like somehow you belong there.
And it looks like you're not alone.
After half an hour has passed the surroundings change as everyone is teleported into a room with all the other new arrivals, no matter what space they woke up in. It's a large place with plenty of seats to sit in and beverages to enjoy. Medical attention is offered to those who need it and the doctors here are very prepared for any challenging situations.
Here, in this room, everyone gets an answer to where they are and why. A hologram of a man appears at the center of the room, waiting to be heard. He brings a message on behalf of the leaders of Ellipsa.
The Message [ Click to Expand ]
Hello, my name is Olwen. I'm one of the leaders of Ellipsa as it currently is. I'm also one of the four who summoned you here.
Our world is in trouble and we need your help. I apologize for tearing you away from your world and forcing you to come here but I hope you understand. The magic we used doesn't let us ask in advance, nor does it let us choose who we bring here.
This world is composed of four Seasonal Segments. All of them represent one of the seasons. They were the places we used to get our resources from, but now they're dangerous places no one should go into unless they have the power to fight back. All of them have their own sets of powerful monsters and natural catastrophes.
We used to have plenty of people here who could control the powers of the four Seasons. We called them Seasonal Power Holders. Unfortunately, due to a tragedy you can read about later, we lost almost all of them. Now only four of us remain and the world is in chaos. We have done our best to protect the world, but we need more power holders to do that.
That's where you come in.
All of you have been assigned to one of the seasons. Whatever space you were in just now is what season you represent. You will learn different skills based on the season and those skills are going to help you save this world.
These powers don't interfere with your own natural powers. They use a new energy that has formed inside of you. It's harmless to your health, but it's vital to your seasonal powers. Your own powers should still work, even if the dark energy outside the city might interfere with them.
Unfortunately bringing you here wasn't as simple as it sounds. We couldn't do anything about how to keep you anchored to this world other than making a simple spell that helps with it. That is, you need to touch someone else who is not from this world ideally at least once a day. It will help you stay in control of your powers and boost your magical energy. If you don't, the consequences aren't very good. But as long as you hold someone's hand or give someone a handshake, you should be fine.
That's all I have to say about the situation. The staff of the Research Center will give you more information about housing and other necessary things. I will, however, promise that you will be sent home once the situation becomes better. That's the least we can do.
The hologram can be viewed in private in a separate room later, should someone wish to look at it again. For now, the staff of the Research Center hands everyone their new smartphones with their small flower lucky charms (the flower is anything the player decides). They're also told that the building next door is where everyone can find a room assigned to them with some of their belongings there and possibly even any animal companions. Those concerned about their mount-sizes companions are welcomed to the stables downstairs to see if their friends are there. The mounts are allowed to stay there until you find a place more suitable for them.
In the Arrival's hall there are also several stands with information pamphlets.
First type of stand is for the local Guilds and about the benefits or joining one.
Second type of stands is for the Welcome Center that aim to show otherworlders what the world is like and help guide people in the beginning of the journey and helps in getting settled into the new world. They even have people to help if you're unfamiliar with the new phones.
Third type of the stands is for The In Touch Support Group that is led by the Otherwordly Ambassador, Kamisato Ayato. The pamphlets have contact information for businesses looking to help Otherworlders. They also focus more on the lore of the World and what they have discovered so far, as well as a guide on what to think about when preparing to venture out to the Segments.
Once you get your smartphone and necessary information, you're urged to go out and find your apartment. After that whatever you want to do is up to you.
Part 3
The building next door is where everyone can find their new apartments. As you enter, you're told by a friendly native that for the first two months you can live anywhere rent-free and five meals a day are paid for you. After that they get a monthly payment that helps with some of their living expenses, but otherwise they have to have a job to support themselves.
All of the apartments are comfortable, two bedroom apartments with all necessary utilities. They are also completely soundproof. Sometimes the magic system, however, does glitch and you might find yourself rooming with a stranger. This is not the intention and the staff will immediately prepare you your own room if you ask them. But maybe having a roommate isn't all that bad?
In the Arrival's hall there are also several stands with information pamphlets.
First type of stand is for the local Guilds and about the benefits or joining one.
Second type of stands is for the Welcome Center that aim to show otherworlders what the world is like and help guide people in the beginning of the journey and helps in getting settled into the new world. They even have people to help if you're unfamiliar with the new phones.
Third type of the stands is for The In Touch Support Group that is led by the Otherwordly Ambassador, Kamisato Ayato. The pamphlets have contact information for businesses looking to help Otherworlders. They also focus more on the lore of the World and what they have discovered so far, as well as a guide on what to think about when preparing to venture out to the Segments.
Once you get your smartphone and necessary information, you're urged to go out and find your apartment. After that whatever you want to do is up to you.
The building next door is where everyone can find their new apartments. As you enter, you're told by a friendly native that for the first two months you can live anywhere rent-free and five meals a day are paid for you. After that they get a monthly payment that helps with some of their living expenses, but otherwise they have to have a job to support themselves.
All of the apartments are comfortable, two bedroom apartments with all necessary utilities. They are also completely soundproof. Sometimes the magic system, however, does glitch and you might find yourself rooming with a stranger. This is not the intention and the staff will immediately prepare you your own room if you ask them. But maybe having a roommate isn't all that bad?
Nightwake City is now full of posters for a new place that has been opened recently. The Titanic Dome is accessible with a teleport crystal from any of the Guilds. It's specifically made for those who want a safe place to fight with their powers without worrying about harming their surroundings or others. It also has enough room for giant transformations to fit comfortably.
There are two different arenas. One of them is a private one that needs to be reserved beforehand, but the other one is a public one that has audience seats for those who don't mind people watching. It's here where there's an event going on to celebrate the opening of the dome.
Riki's Rewards has provided a free single dose of the Enlarge potions for anyone to use. These potions give the user a temporary boost in height and general body size (including clothes). Abilities will work the same as in "normal" size, but may appear bigger. When the potion is consumed, all the person has to think about is how large they want to become and that will happen. This limited version of the potion has a limit of 60 meters / 196'10 feet and only lasts for one hour at a time.
Using these potions, people are challenged to a giant pillow fight. All the pillows are very soft and fluffy and won't do any actual harm, but if someone is "defeated" by a pillow they will gain a bunch of feathers all over their body and hair for the next five hours as a silly punishment.
There's a scenic route you can also take from or to the Titanic Dome. It's a longer hike: the journey takes three days in one direction on foot (less with horses or snowmobile). The whole route is protected by barriers, so even natives sometimes find joy in just taking the longer route in the wilderness. There are even small gazebos for taking a break and dedicated spots where you can set up a tent.
Of course, sometimes natives do get out of the paths and might need rescuing from wayward winter monsters or wild fauna. Usually it's because something looks shiny and they go to investigate because "what could go wrong with a little visit outside the safe route".
Some of the "shiny things" the natives see are various frozen flowers that shine in different colors. The closer someone gets, the more tempted they are to touch the flower. All of the flowers give a different effect. Red flowers boost the feelings of love and will make someone show more affection towards people, platonic or otherwise, purple flowers make someone want to show their feelings through physical means (even negative, so a punch would also be included) within character's boundaries, yellow flowers will make someone (temporary) fall in love with the first person they see and orange flowers will make someone more giggly and more likely to make jokes, with the possibility to make others laugh with them. All the effects last 1-3 hours.
The flowers will melt after they're touched, only to grow back somewhere else later. They will also melt if they're brought to a warmer atmosphere. If one manages to put them in a potion there and then, they work as a highly potent ingredient in long term love potions.
All around Nightwake, a special festival is taking place. Even if the seasons are very fixed in all of the districts, they still want to host celebrations according to calendar, like this time: it's a festival to say goodbye to winter and to say hello to spring.
All of the districts have set up bonfires here and there that will be constantly burning. They're not at the centers of the districts, so they're easy to avoid, if someone wishes to. These bonfires are gathering places, where people come to dance and celebrate in costumes that are inspired by both winter and spring. Various masks are sold at the booths, for those who want to get into the mood but don't want to dress up. The masks represent devils, witches, goats, swamp fae, and other joyful and frightening characters.
Otherworlders new and old are also asked to act out the battle between winter and spring. One of them will be dressed up as winter: big sized (additional pillows stuffed in clothes if necessary), wrapped in various furs. The other one will be dressed up a spring: a scrawny person in much lighter looking clothes. The only advice they're given is: make it dramatic and let the spring win in the end!
Another important part of the celebrations is the pancakes. All districts have booths where people can either make their own pancakes or buy from others. There are various different toppings and fillings that can be added, as well as warm and cold drinks to enjoy them with.
Some of the districts may have slightly different views on how to make a proper pancake and what can and cannot be added to it. Especially the winter and spring related districts are constantly bickering over whose pancakes are better and will shamelessly promote theirs in the others' district. It seems Coldreach is the only one that falls in between their silly argument, considering it's in between the two seasons (and the alcohol they serve there might also have something to do with the peace).
Inspired by the friendly (?) competitions, a new mini event has appeared! It's called the Pancake Tours! The goal is to visit each and every district to taste each of their pancakes and rank them. This all doesn't need to be done on the same day, at least. Those who complete the tour and bring the results to the Research Center will get a spell that will make anything taste good, even things they would normally hate the taste of and 2000 Moon Coins.
Attracted by the smell of pancakes, a new creature has appeared in the city. These relatively small creatures are called jellycats, due to looking like cats that have jelly-like shells protecting them. The shells wiggle everytime they purr and they can retreat back into them whenever they're uncomfortable. Despite their appearance and name, they're not edible.
Jellycats come in a variety of colors and smell different to each person. A yellow jellycat, for example, may smell like lemons to someone, but flowers to another, depending on preferences. The scent becomes stronger the more a jellycat likes and trusts a person.
Befriending these creatures is rather easy: they really like anything and everything sweet, which is why the pancakes attract them so much. It is also likely for a jellycat to follow someone home.
- Ask your questions related to the TDM here.
- The TDM is available only to friends of the mods and their friends. If you want to play in the TDM, please leave a note here to inform us who invited you over. We will get to you as soon as possible.
- Test Drive is open for current characters to make a top level as well. New characters can add TDM on their subject line to indicate they're new!
- Current characters cannot access the starting area again to meet new arrivals. They can, however, be at the Research Center when the newbies are teleported in.
- The TDM is game canon so anything in the TDM can happen for your character(s) in the game as well.
- Smut is not allowed on the TDM. You can play situations leading to it, but if the thread is turning into smut, please move it to a private space such a post in your character's journal, or a locked post in the game's log community if you decide to app!
- Check Locations: City to find more areas to explore inside the city. Every place in the districts are open.
- Similarly, Locations: Segments is useful for outdoors adventures.
- You can find monsters to encounter on Beastiary.
- FAQ has information on characters' smartphones as well as general things about the world that might be handy.
Gaius van Baelsar | Final Fantasy XIV | Autumn
[After getting the basic rundown of things through the… welcome hologram that seems Allagan but probably isn’t given everything else happening and dodging the medical staff asking if he needs anything for those scars on his arms because they look pretty bad, (HE DOESN’T!! THEY’RE OLD!!! THE NERVE DAMAGE ISN’T THAT BAD!!!) Gaius manages to get changed into his usual murderhobo chic and get Heirsbane equipped so he feels less… out of sorts. He’s still out of sorts, but the familiarity at least gives him some grounding so he can deal with all of this… better.
He still can’t help but feel a bit awkwardly out of place as he browses through welcome pamphlets, even so. All of this feels so nicely organized and pleasant, and here he is dressed to kill in the more literal sense than the metaphorical sense. He does have one pressing matter in mind, though, so if he manages to catch anyone who looks like they might actually be working at the Welcome Center or just happens to look more like they’ve been here any length of time instead of being a similarly confused new arrival, he’ll approach them with a question.]
I have one question about our presence here in particular, actually—is anyone aware of what our status is back home, or is that an unknown factor?
[He remembers asking for an explanation of what precisely had happened to Alphinaud, and the explanation he had gotten… sure was something, but this seems reasonably close to that situation, he thinks?]
flour, sugar, egg, magic ii
[It’s perhaps a bit incongruous to see a six and a half foot tall murderhobo looking guy with a gunsword strapped to his back doing the Pancake Tour of all things, but… you know, it feels kind of nostalgic? Like an older, pre-Imperial festival from back home, perhaps. Celebrating the end of winter is important in a snowy hellscape, after all. There is, admittedly, a good and understandable reason why he hasn’t been back there for any in a long time and probably won’t ever again, but even with his complex feelings on the matter, Gaius can’t really help himself from at least giving it a go.
He seems to be looking for something in particular as he goes through the districts, though, and eventually finds himself at one of the make your own stations looking thoughtfully at the whole thing. Maybe… he can make the thing he was looking for… but can he. It’s not like he’s ever made them himself.
Also are there even any savory ingredients? Hmm.
Well, he doesn’t look particularly approachable on an objective level, but he might need A Little Help Here.]
[ooc: it has been a little while since I’ve rped in a game so please bear with me if I’m a touch slow.
Also permissions here! I’m playing him from after his most recent canon appearance so he’s chilled out on some things but you know, still a war criminal.]
GAIUS \o/ | I'll take 2
Maybe it's the Garlean's presence, or something else, but as Gaius stands there the Miqo'te feels a tingle creeping across the back of his neck. One of his ears twitches, tail curling, and he looks back over his shoulder with a curious frown.
And then--]
Gaius!
[Whether the man has any vague inkling of recognition for this person or not, the orange-haired Miqo'te sounds... pleased to see him. He lifts up one hand in a beckoning wave.]
no subject
...a miqo'te he doesn't recognize, but who recognizes him...? He turns from the pancake making station and kind of cocks his head in mild confusion.]
...Yes?
your u/n is v clever btw :V
Ah, right... This is going to sound strange but... we've met before, where I'm from.
[He trails off a little there, rubbing his face with one not-too-floury hand.]
And that probably sounds absolutely insane.
i miss how very glib... i miss it a lot
[was he from the legion?? but even then...]
weh <3
[Right... right.
This is going to be weird to explain, then... particularly when Gaius very much recognised him the last time he was here. E'kayan takes a breath to steady himself and braces his hands against the edge of the counter.]
I'm the-- People call me the Warrior of Light. Back home. But... I don't think I'm the one you know. [And here's where it gets weird.] Everything you've experienced with the one you know... I experienced with you, in the world I came here from.
no subject
That does sound improbable, but on the other hand, I do not know enough about... reflections and things of the sort to dispute you on whether or not it is possible.
[It's also just kind of weird to expect someone to actually believe that sort of thing if it isn't true, which suggests it probably is??]
no subject
[Given the kinds of things they would need to discuss in order for E'kayan to confirm the truth of what he's saying, they would perhaps be better off not surrounded by other people.
He gives a small smile.]
But... whether you recognise me or not, it's good to see you, Gaius.
no subject
[...he's not going to sound too suspicious, but, well.
If this person just wants to slip a knife between his ribs, all he can really say in his defense is "Please don't, someone else called dibs," so...]
I am glad to see the Warrior of Light in good spirits, whatever form he takes.
no subject
Still...
The Miqo'te manages a small, weak smile.]
I don't suppose anyone's told you yet that you've been here before.
no subject
[oh that's fucked up actually, but...]
So there is a possibility of us being able to return before all of this is settled, then?
no subject
[He's... fairly hopeful of that. That's how these things go, isn't it? You save the world and then... what.
He does wonder if a means to send them home en masse exists. While he knows of people who have seemingly gone back, it seems more of a case of slipping the net than anything else.]
Don't know abou you, Gaius, but I still have things I want to get done.
no subject
[...]
More than anything, I am worried about those left back home.
[IS ALLIE OKAY??? HE WANTS TO KNOW.........]
no subject
[He looks around, worrying his lip for a moment, then leaves what he was working on to go and stand closer to Gaius instead.]
What's the last thing you remember?
no subject
[he's worried about that, too!!! he's sure they can do a good job but like...]
no subject
The last I heard of Allie, she was doing well. I helped her get a family portrait done. Her, you... and the others.
no subject
[...you, but not???]
The Warrior of Light, I suppose. I suppose that works well enough as proof to me.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
ii!
But before he can get started asking questions about said gunsword, Yeager notices that the guy seems to be looking for something specific... Hmm.]
Good afternoon! I trust you're having a good time here?
[His voice is light and relaxed and his accent is very German. Just wait until FFXIV gives us fantasy Germany and then we can laugh about that, but for now...]
Are you trying to decide what toppings to use?
no subject
I have been having a pleasant enough time, though...
[...hm.]
I have not often made these myself, and there is a style I wish to replicate that is more familiar to me.
no subject
[Does he have any experience with making pancakes? Nnnnno, but surely between the two of us we can figure something out (citation needed)!]
no subject
no subject
[Hmm, these pancakes look a bit too thick to properly be described as "crepes".]
But I'm sure with a little experimentation we can come up with something interesting, ja?
[do you trust this man's idea of "interesting"???]
no subject
but well, he did make Nero his second in command for a while, so like]
I suppose it could not hurt anything to make an attempt.
no subject
I was hoping you'd have a sense of adventure!
[Yeager claps his hands and moves to get a better look at the ingredients we have on offer. Most of these are aiming for "sweet" rather than "savory" so what we're going to end up with is probably going to be the exact opposite of anything you want, but that's half the fun, right??]
Do you see any toppings you don't recognize? It could be fun to try something new!
no subject
[he sounds a little disappointed. why isn't it weird.]