Seasons Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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seasonsgreetings2024-04-19 01:03 am
seasonsmods) wrote in seasonsgreetings2024-04-19 01:03 am
Entry tags:
Test Drive Meme #8
Test Drive Meme #8
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.
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.
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?
The months of April and May are the time for a strange weather effect that affects all of the districts, except the one in the middle and Frostreign. It's not weird that it rains, but it's what the rain does that has been dubbed as the Rain of Affection. It's raining very often until the end of May at different times in the affected districts.
Anyone who stands in the rain will feel the need to get close to someone. It starts with a need to gently touch someone, but can escalate into needing a hug. The ultimate craving is kissing in the rain, but that's the most it can make happen. It's a very Safe For Work Rain Effect.
After a successful kiss in the rain, the cravings slowly become less urgent, but the effect can start all over again at any given time. Once someone is completely dry, they will be safe from effects restarting again.
Of course, there are individuals who don't get too affected by the rain (at all or not as badly) and it only works if it directly hits someone. So staying in a shelter or being in the unaffected districts is definitely a way to avoid this whole phenomenon. Even purchasing and using an umbrella helps. The shops around every district are very aware of the need for umbrellas, so there's definitely a variety of them being sold. Some of the umbrellas have a variety of harmless magical effects, like changing the color depending on the users' mood.
An unexpected secondary effect has been discovered with this year's rain. Anyone who tries to ignore the urges to be close to someone for too long (two hours) may find that some of their other feelings get amplified. Especially feelings someone might have been suppressing will suddenly feel impossible to ignore.
Hugging someone will make the feelings return to 'normal' easiest, as it's almost instant. Getting out of the rain and changing into dry clothes also helps, but the effects will go away slower.
Most of the shops around the districts have prepared private rooms for anyone who needs a place to calm down, in case they're far away from home. The various invisible shop fairies will also help someone contact their friends if they're unable to do it themselves - as long as they manage to say someone's name.
Just like with the regular effects, some people might be less affected by the amplified feelings. It really depends on the individual (= player's choice) how the rain affects them.
Tents have been built into various places around the city, to give shelter from the rain. These tents are also workshops for crystal and gemstone crafts. A group of crystal miners have decided to share the rest of their gemstones and crystals so that people can make themselves magical weapons, protective armors and accessories or just normal decorations.
Crystal Mine is one of the places that was lost to "The Darkness" and it existed in the Autumn Segment. All crystals and gemstones from the mines have a natural magical aptitude, meaning they can be easily enchanted into various purposes. They were used for armors, weapons, accessories and such to help fight the monsters of the world.
All of the crystals and gemstones are in alphabetical order and the miners happily answer any questions about them, such meanings and symbolisms they might hold. They can also make suggestions for which ones to use in the same craft.
One of the miners is especially keen on telling about Birthstones and suggests using them as an accessory that you carry around everywhere. He's a firm believer that keeping a birthstone on your person will bring someone luck and protection from evil forces.
Crystal and gemstone enchanting is managed by the teachers from the Magical Manor. They will hold lessons where they demonstrate how to get the results you want the most. The key is to be positive. The more positive feelings and words you feed the crystals and gemstones, the stronger the enchantment will be.
The enchantment can be anything from more strength into a weapon to just a nice, warmly glowing flower that helps someone sleep. Imagination is the limit, though even the enchantment can't make someone's armor permanently invincible or make their weapons kill things in one shot.
Enchanting your friend's, family member's or loved one's crystal or gemstone will make the magic twice stronger.
Those who have difficulties in being polite can either get fairy dust sprinkled on them to make them happy or they can ask someone else to help them. Needing to fake happy feelings will lessen the strength of the spells, but it works nonetheless.
If someone does manage to pour negative feelings and words into their enchantments, they may cause the crystals and gemstones to form negative monsters. These monsters are ethereal and usually look like small goblins that eat positive energy from anyone within one-mile radius.
Attacking them with magic and weapons doesn't work, as they have no actual bodies, but trapping one between two people holding hands will make them feel overwhelmed by the sheer energy the handholding provides and disappear. They will do their best to suck as much positive energy into them before they do, though!
Someone who has their positivity stolen will slowly recover it over time (it takes at max. a day), but holding foreheads together with someone will speed to process.
Starting from April 19th onwards, characters may find a peculiar basket on their table. This basket comes with any kind of pokeball (except Master Ball), some Pokémon Food and Treats, and a Pokémon Egg of any species that can have an egg (except the rare mythical/legendary/special ones that are able to). This Pokémon also has a chance to be shiny.
The note attached to the basket says "Sounds can be heard coming from inside! This Egg will hatch soon!" The egg will hatch anywhere between a few minutes to few days.
Anyone asking about how this came to be, the research center staff explains that it was a "metaverse miracle" and they asked the fairies to help them contribute the eggs to otherworlders, seeing as they already had Pokémon experience.
(NOTE: Pokémon Guidelines apply to these new hatching Pokémon as well)
- 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.
Re: Arrival Part 3
"I can do you one better. You want to see it? If you can manage a short flight I could take you out to the outskirts to see what it looks like. As long as you're not bothered by great speed I can get out there in perhaps a quarter of an hour. I can describe it on the way."
Considering it takes DAYS to hike out to the edge of the map, she must be very fast indeed.
Re: Arrival Part 3
Re: Arrival Part 3
She smiles and walks up. "May I?" If given permission, this tiny little girl picks him up effortlessly and then her wings have them in the air in moments.
"I assume you're a scientist, something like that?" They may as well talk while on their way. She picks up speed quickly, and soon the scenery is a blur and wind is whipping at them.
Re: Arrival Part 3
"You are correct. I was a Colonel in the Research and Development department of the Novus Orbis Librarium. Knowledge is important, would you not agree?" He asked in return.
Re: Arrival Part 3
"Not really my area, knowledge. I'm usually more the muscle. That's how I first came into contact with the darkness, via werewolves. We're headed out into the foothills to find some."
Re: Arrival Part 3
"Capital. Perhaps they will provide worthy data for me. It would be quite fortunate to obtain valid data this quickly," Relius said. He could gain some data on Saya as well and how she fought. More valuable data for the future.
"I am sure I have much to learn."
Re: Arrival Part 3
"The dark energy ones are nasty, just so you're prepared. Your natural abilities won't work on them. My Summer powers will, but they're still a bitch and a half to put down. Nice pelts, though. If we have to kill any, would you mind letting me keep those? You can have the rest for your research, but I have friends who use them for nesting."
Re: Arrival Part 3
"I will only need samples of their DNA. Their pelts are yours for the taking. The blood drawn during the harvesting process will be sufficient," Relius agreed to her terms. Though he wondered what kind of individuals she knew that would nest. Perhaps he could learn more later.
"Then I will need to use the new magic of this world to defend myself. Understood."
Re: Arrival Part 3
The mountains are getting larger very quickly. "What else have you heard about the dark energy? I'm curious."
Re: Arrival Part 3
"Not much more than what was told to me in the greetings message. Though I have hypotheses about this Darkness and what it is. Which is why I require data. And it will allow me to test the difficulty of this magic and experience the learning curve myself."
Re: Arrival Part 3
The mountains are starting to loom above them now. Saya dives and starts flying lower to the ground, arching her neck so her head falls back and she can have the wind blow in her face. Bats gonna bat. "Less chance of being interrupted by the flying irritants before we get there if we stay low."
"I'm surprised you're not curious about me. Most people are." The transformations, the speed, her red eyes and fangs, her entire bearing normally draw a lot of questions.
Re: Arrival Part 3
"I did not say I was disinterested in you," Relius said calmly. "Your abilities are quite impressive. Beings such as you, vampires, often come with a variety of powers. Most, from my observations, are quite powerful. As long as they maintain their source of power, that is. I thought it best to focus on the observations on the darkness because I asked you questions about yourself. Though if you are freely offering the information, I will gladly accept."
Re: Arrival Part 3
Saya appears to be flying straight at one of the huge mountains as they talk. She produces a sound that's a cross between a purr and a chirp. Echolocating, like any good bat.
"I'm not exactly a vampire. My species are called Chiropterans, since we're closer to bats. Sometimes I call myself a vampire as shorthand, since I do drink blood and that's all that some people can see when they look at me. But you're both right and wrong on the power thing. Most vampires are turned. I was born this way. As a Queen I have powers that anyone I turn would not."
Re: Arrival Part 3
"I see. Named after the Latin order for night-flying mammals with forelimbs modified to form wings. Do most assume creatures such as yourself are turned and not born? Creatures, like yourself, exist in my world. They are born. Their blood can provide benefits to those who ingest it but the process is not the same. Only a born vampire is a true vampire. Those they turn are considered incomplete."
He kept calm as they flew straight down toward the mountain. If she wanted, she could dash him against the rocks and kill him. It would be his own folly if she decided such but he did not feel any murderous intent aimed toward him. He knew some bats would fly what some might see as recklessly but they did have a method to their madness. Here was hoping she had such a method.