seasonsgreetings | Test Drive Meme #7

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Test Drive Meme #7

Test Drive Meme #7
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Arrival

Part 1

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.

Part 2

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?

Near, Far, Wherever You War

Part 1

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.

Part 2

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.

Flour, Sugar, Egg, Magic

Part 1

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!

Part 2

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.

Part 3

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.

OOC TIPS

- 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.

code bases by tricklet

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I can heal, but it's not that good compared to some others.

[ Not to mention that she can't use it during battle. ]

So maybe we should hold off on using it until a winner is decided.

[ That's probably fair enough...? ] I'm new. What's your name?

Keep at it.

[ She'll get there eventually, if she practices hard enough. Not to mention... ]

Had a hunch. [ If she hails from the region of Spring, that might help boost along that ability to cure. ] I'm Cloud. How 'bout you, slugger?

[ One day, when she is able to unlock the path of Preservation... ]

Is it really that obvious? [ She didn't do anything on that front, did she??? Hm. ]

And it's Stelle.

Mn. [ Cloud shakes his head. If he was wrong, he was wrong. But... ] I tend to be on the go a lot.

[ And while he doesn't have eyes and ears on everyone here, his business being his own, if she was a fighter? Than Cloud had a penchant for coming across most of them sooner or later. That, and after laying down the gauntlet online, getting a surprising amount of hits in the process.

The moment she says her name, he quietly says it back to himself. Just so he won't forget so easily. She carries herself with poise and confidence, that much he can already tell just by looking at her. But that's just on the surface. And if Stelle was new... ]

You remember where you woke up?

I travel a lot, too.

[ And she plans to do the same in this world as well. But as for his question... ]

I was surrounded by a bunch of flowers. I think it was related to 'spring', here.

Spring...

[ Regardless of where Stelle awoke, Cloud was already formulating a plan in his head. The question was if this woman would be willing to go along with it. ]

Then... [ A hand lifts to the handle of his sword, finally, slowly drawing it out as he looks to her with a renewed intent. ] You're in luck.

[ She'd best stance up unless she wanted to be on the defensive from the get-go. Because Cloud's already stepping into a fighting stance, the massive Buster Sword poised. ]

Let's see what you've got.

[ What little 'tips' he can give her will come once he's gauged her. ]

Am I? Well, looks like I'll have to show you what I've got.

[ It's a rhetorical question; she's smart enough to pick up what he's putting down, at least. Nevertheless, she prepares herself - spinning her bat as it glows with an obvious power.

And it's right then and there that she charges straight through - she's speedy and quick on her feet as she makes an attempt at her first swing. ]

Edited 2024-03-03 08:22 (UTC)

[ That's new. No stranger to channeling his inner power and manifesting it through the length of his blades, Cloud doesn't tap into that quite yet as Stelle is already in his face. ~~Did you set the game on 2x speed again.~~ He didn't necessarily underestimate this new face, but the quick burst of speed does catch him by surprise as she takes her first heavy swing. ]

Tch—!

[ All blows are blunt blows when they come from a baseball bat, but he still intends on returning the favor should he land any decisive hits. For now, however, the force of impact causes little sparks to fly as he raises his Buster Sword up in a defensive stance. She's got a lot of strength packed in that body, if the way his feet skid a couple inches from the blow was telling enough.

Before he can get into the meat and bones of showing her something new, he stomps back forward, flipping his Buster Sword so that when he goes to swing right back at her with a horizontal strike, it's the blunt backside. Time to see if she can take as hard as she can dish out, even if this turns into an exchange of blocks and parries and strikes to begin with.

Cloud knows a thing or two about swinging for the fences. ]

[ Unfortunately, Stelle doesn't have access to her shields like this, so she has to tank the next hit, using her bat to deflect most of it. But that doesn't mean that she's gone completely unscathed, having been pushed back quite a bit to the point where she has to jump back defensively. ]

You're really skilled.

[ Perhaps even more so than she is. But that doesn't mean she isn't going to try her best. ]

Years of practice.

[ He waits before going on the offensive again, nodding back at Stelle with acknowledgement. ]

You're a heavy hitter yourself.

I may not have the years of experience, but I'll make up for it--

[ She has to play defensive. Something that isn't exactly optimal when your path is Destruction. ]

--With enthusiasm!

[ Deflecting again, she knows this is going to end up being her loss unless she atempts to counter with another large swing. ]

[ Cloud wasn't necessarily taking it "easy" on her, when he knows that Stelle can and will look for any opportunity to take a large swing. So once she does actually find an opening for a counter? ]

!!

[ That's when Stelle will suddenly feel a heavy burst of wind surge up from beneath the two of them. Or rather, it's what manifests from Cloud as it may not soften Stelle's swing, but it's simply a byproduct of the swordsman using it for extra life when he leaps high into the air to boost him out of range faster.

Narrowly avoiding that large swing where he was otherwise vulnerable... Cloud slows his descent upon the currents of wind he can command now, almost like he was hovering before he softly lands down a short distance from the Trailblazer. ]

...!!

[ Stelle may be used to seeing a lot of skills, but that doesn't necessarily mean that she has a counter for them - wind being something that she just finds herself making a slight yelp at as she's pushed back again. ]

Didn't expect that. But then again, expect the unexpected.

It's wind magic. [ Stelle gave him a ~~cool~~ good opportunity to demonstrate it during their fight. ] If you came from the Spring, you'll learn to do it too.

[ Still armed and ready, he doesn't look intent on going back in for another swing just yet. If only now that he knows what Stelle's affinity is... ]

You get taught anything from the guild?

[ 'Would you like the tutorial for 1 Stellar Jade? Y/N' ]

[ Give her the free Stellar Jade, she needs it for her future gacha funds... ]

I see. I haven't actually gone to the guild yet, actually.

Close your eyes for me? [ At least, this is how he got started... Fret not. He's not gonna sucker punch her or anything, even while he's got his sword held in his hand. ] Trust me.

Alright, but if I get hit because I closed my eyes, you owe me one.

[ But she will do it. ]

Deal.

[ ~~Sucker punches.~~ Once she's done it, she might feel his presence closing some of that distance between them as his footsteps bear closer. Not enough to invade her personal space, but just enough that Stelle may begin to feel a cool updraft rising up around her body. It's not coming up right underneath her thank god. Sweeps of the wind along her clothes with what can only be described as the subtle traces of sakura in the air. ]

For me, this is what it felt like when I was imagining trying to channel the wind.

[ And while he hopes she keeps her eyes closed, Cloud's hand lowers from directing the wind magic on her like this, the breeze subsiding. ]

Try to imagine the wind, brushing over you but only when you want it to.

[ She can sense the air currents in the air, how it flows around. The hints of spring that can be felt... ah. She thinks she gets it. ]

So I just need to imagine the wind, right?

That about sums it up. [ A beat. ] It takes time to pick up on it but with enough practice...

There's definitely a lot of things that can be done with it, I think. I'll have to hit up the guild and learn more about it.

There's plenty of Spring wielders around too. Ever need pointers, someone'll have something to say.

[ Not pointing out himself immediately when he says that, anyway. With that being said, he shakes his head with a gentle huff, a hint of amusement tugging at his lips. ]

You can open your eyes now, by the way. [ A beat. ] You didn't get hit.

I think if I got hit, we'd both know by now.

[ It's said so very flatly in response as she opens her eyes back up as she puts some focus back on her feet. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Test Drive Meme #7

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wow i passed out before i could hit reply

BEEN. THERE.

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