seasonsgreetings | Test Drive Meme #11

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Test Drive Meme #11

Test Drive Meme #11
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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 (someone near the hologram mumbles that Olwen still hadn't sent them a new message, even if he talked about updating it).

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?

Hymn for the Missing

Part 1

October is once again the start of the nameless festival of honoring the dead, where regular people can join in helping ghosts pass into afterlife. This ritual can only be done at this time of the year, as the air is filled with a mysterious essence that helps with passing on. The scientists have yet to properly determine what the essence truly is, but it seems to concentrate on the park and at least it's not dangerous for the living.

Much like last year, the key is to partner up with someone and hold up a special wreath made of flowers. Once the wreath starts glowing they must release it and let it float upward. During the ascent, the ghost will be visible to everyone, even if just for a moment, before vanishing with the wreath, leaving behind glowing, floating lights in the air.

Another part of the festivities is sending off floating lanterns. These lanterns can be used to pour all thoughts and feelings of someone the person misses and send it to the skies. Legend says that it will eventually reach the person they thought of, alive or dead, eventually on its journey. It's also viewed as a way of lessening one's emotional weight.

Ortherworlders are also encouraged to light special candles. Doing so will grant them a protective spell that will be with them until its spent. All damage they receive will be halved for three hits. This spell can't be stacked, but it can always be redone during the course of the festivities (until late November).

Part 2

The restaurants in Blossomcrown are also participating in the festivities. They are offering the ghosts a chance to enjoy one final meal before leaving the world. This is only made possible by volunteers.

The food will be provided by the chefs: All the volunteers need to do is let ghosts possess them. They'll be given a magical brooch to hold that will make this happen. Once the ghost has taken over someone's body, they will tell what their favorite food is. It could be just a strawberry cake or something more exotic like haggis.

After they've enjoyed the meal the ghosts usually leave the brooch and the stop possessing the person. However some of them are greedy and will run from the restaurant. It's likely they want to fill their heart's final desire, whatever it may be. It could be singing on a rooftop or even running naked through the marketplace.

During the two months the festivities are happening, the natives will be much more understanding of any weird stunts and crimes the otherworlders do, assuming they're possessed by a peculiar ghost. Unless they see that someone doesn't have a brooch, of course.

Those caught doing dangerous and/or malicious things without being possessed will be put into a pillory for the afternoon, so natives can toss tomatoes at them.

Pumpkins Scream in the Dead of Nightwake

Part 1

Nightwake has adopted Halloween as an official holiday. The city has been decorated with various spooky things and people dress up in different themed outfits. Even the cat-sized dragons residing in the city have cute accessories like witch hats or devil horns.

The natives are especially proud of the haunted houses they've set up on every district. They fit the theme of the place they're in and some of them even have actual ghosts to set up the mood. Nothing actually dangerous happens in the houses, just some good-willed spooky fun and perfectly cut screams.

Stores are also doing a promotion for boo baskets! Anyone who gathers a basket full of halloween and autumn filled things (clothes, food, decorations, chocolate etc) will get 50% off for their total purchase! The boo baskets themselves are designed as various things, such as pumpkins, bats and different monsters from all around Ellipsa. Anyone is also welcome to design their own basket.

Speaking of baskets, during the festivities everyone will receive a harvest basket on their doorstep. There are those filled with vegetables, some filled with fruit and berries and then a mix of both. Usually all baskets have at least apples, corn, potatoes, pumpkins and squash. The card in the basket says "Please enjoy these, but don't leave them sit in the basket for too long!"

Part 2

A few days after everyone has received their harvest baskets, something strange starts happening. Vegetables that haven't been eaten or prepared for later somehow start growing at rapid speeds. Most vegetables just grow into the size of middle sized dogs and stop there. Locals suggest carving the pumpkins especially into small houses for Harvest Fairies... or just for decorations. Some pets really, really love pumpkin and might enjoy a small house built for them.

Corn is the worst one to leave in the basket as those grow a full corn maze all around the district they end up growing in (including in the house it started in). It's entirely possible to encounter a corn maze even in the middle of Frostreign. Magical corn doesn't care about the soil it grows in.

It doesn't take long for corn maze turf wars to start happening. Mysterious moving jack o'lantern (creatures with pumpkins as heads on different bodies - including void cats pretending to be jack o'lantern) and very regular seeming scarecrows start fighting over their territory.

The locals try enlisting anyone to stop the fight because jack o'lanterns carry lanterns and try to set the scarecrows on fire - and no one wants the corn maze to go up in flames when some of them connect indoors. The scarecrows in turn use any weapons they might get their hands on - including people and animals.

Of course getting rid of the mazes is also a priority. Fire is a no go, but the farmers are willing to lend their scythes for the occasion.

Part 3

During October 21st, Nightwake natives are engaging in a weird new tradition. Apparently, while looking at modern holidays, they found a something called a National Throw a Short Person - day. So it's entirely possible to see short people being thrown into different soft mattresses and other surfaces lined up for the occasion.

They're even encouraging people to participate, saying that it seemed like such an important holiday to honor. How they came to that conclusion isn't very clear.

OOC TIPS

Summary of the prompts [ Click to Expand ]

Arrival
• Characters appear in one of the four seasonal spaces, depending on what season they are
• After half an hour they are teleported to the Research Center lobby and given information
• Hologram of Olwen (Winter Guild Leader) plays, explaining the situation
• They're given their smartphone-like device and told about the Starter Apartments next door
• Possibility of finding a roommate!

Hymn for the Missing
Part 1
• Nameless festival of honoring the dead starts and continues until late November
• Flower wreaths are used to help ghosts pass onto afterlife
• Floating lanterns are send to skies with thoughts and emotions of someone missing attached
• Lightning candles will give people a protective spell

Part 2
• Volunteers are asked to let ghosts possess them so they can enjoy one last meal
• This is possible by a magical brooch
• Some ghosts will want to do other things as well and run away
• Those caught doing dangerous and/or malicious things will be caught in the pillory

Pumpkins Scream in the Dead of Nightwake
Part 1
• Halloween is now an official holiday
• Decorations and costumes pop up everywhere
• Every district has a themed haunted house
• People are encouraged to make boo baskets
• Everyone will also receive a harvest basket with an ominous message

Part 2
• Few days after the harvest baskets are received, magic happens
• Vegetables start growing into the sizes of middle sized dogs
• Corn will make full corn mazes everywhere
• Turf Wars start in the corn maze between jack o'lanterns and scarecrows

Part 3
• October 21st is the National Throw a Short Person day

- 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

"It is. This would be witchcraft in my time...but helping the dead pass on seems like the right thing to do." Besides witchcraft isn't the scariest thing.

It doesn't take long for the wreath to start glowing, and Esme slowly lowers his hands.

"...I hope they led a good life."

Macaque lets go of the wreath when Esme does, and glances at Esme from the corner of his eye.

"You're a wonderful person." Look, it just slips out, like he was talking to MK. In a way, he feels like he is.

"I...I'm really not. I'm a fortunate person who meets a lot of amazing people." His ears are burning though. He glances at Macaque out of the corner of his eye, then back up to watch the wreath. The ghost looks like a little old man. So much older than any person he's seen before.

"And humble to boot." Macaque can't do anything but smile at that reaction, expected though it was.

"Max is very lucky."

"Max would agree with you on that." Esme thinks they're both biased but doesn't have the heart to outright say they're wrong. "I'm lucky to have him though. He puts up with a lot around me."

He's not really exasperated, just embarrassed and grateful.

At least that's one good quality that Max has... although Macaque doesn't even believe his own mental voice when he says that. He likes Max in spite of himself.

"Can I ask you something about Max? It's okay if you don't want me to. But he and I had an encounter that I think hurt his feelings and it surprised me." Or he was pretending that it hurt his feelings, Macaque isn't quite sure.

"You can ask." Though at the mention of a time Macaque may have hurt Max's feelings, only one possible instance came to mind. "Is that what you want to ask about?"

"Yes. I was used to his attitude around me being a certain way, and it took a sharp turn that I wasn't expecting. I keep trying to understand why, and I'm not sure I do."

"He was talking to my daughter about something... sensitive... that she hadn't told him about but he had noticed anyway. And he was talking about making a deal that involved her soul." That's as explicit as Macaque cares to be about the subject, he's not about to violate his daughter's confidence. "I showed up to tell Max no, that deals on this topic are off-limits. Then I said that if it was a good idea to ask for his help then it'll still be a good idea in a few days when I have time to think carefully about the wording. And I also mentioned that there were other options for her problem. He got quite upset, and didn't seem any bit more at ease once I apologized. The whole thing took me off guard. It was never my intention to upset him. To be honest, none of our interactions up to that point would have led me to think that he'd get so upset over my wording. So my question is, is it common for him to have his feelings hurt when people decline his deals? Or his help, I guess is what he thought he was offering, but it came out in deal form after he'd frightened my daughter and he was only kind about it after I'd accidentally hurt his feelings. So it was all very confusing."

That all sounds quite touchy and not counting the specifics about the deal in question, he knows he can only answer so far. "Max...isn't any of what he is now back home. The Max I know is a damphir, and he can be a little hard for people to trust at first...but based on when he came home upset, I doubt it was because you wanted time to think and so said no."

He moves to sit on the grass, patting the spot next to him in an invitation to join him. Their walk can probably wait a moment more. "I don't know what he said or did because he didn't want to talk about it, but I think he was trying to be open and honest even in making a deal, and he felt like it wasn't being accepted as that."

Macaque sits down and considers that.

"Based on his reaction, I'd say that you're probably right. He wasn't acting like he was being open, though. He told my daughter that he could help her for a price, and he was smiling basically until I hurt his feelings. Which I did feel bad about, but I also felt like I had to protect her. Like I said, it was a sensitive topic for her."

"Is it hard for him to be open with people?" Because if so, relatable.

"It seems harder now," Esme replies. "I don't know what all rules are binding him. But...as he is also Fae now..." He hesitates for a moment before continuing, trying to pick his words. He wants to protect Max, but saying the wrong things could do the opposite. "I don't envy being someone who cares as much as he does being twisted by parts of beings that can't understand how to feel or actually do it."

"That's not to say I blame you for feeling that he wasn't being open. I don't, but I wish there was something..." An idea comes to him and he perks up. "The person who can tell you the most about Max as he is now, is Max. But this is Autumn, which both means he's very safe because he has to be upfront about any harm he could be planning and that he has to be honest. Ask him things. Even if he doesn't want to talk about them because he's still hurting, he can't purposely mislead you about anything for the season. And maybe that will make things better for all three of you. More comfortable."

Macaque can't help but wonder who Max was before the fae got hold of him.

"Autumn?" More of the bullshit fae rules, was it? "I can do that... but I don't especially want to hurt his feelings again." It could be dangerous for him, and also he didn't really love thinking that Max was genuinely hurt because of what he said, even if he hadn't meant it that way. "If I try to talk to him honestly, will he listen even if I don't say it perfectly? I'm not good at that sort of thing."

"Mmm. During Autumn, the Kindly Ones and those under them have to be more honest and can't scheme at all. Which makes things safer for the rest of us. Every season is safer for us in some way as long as we-" he gestures to himself. "-honor their traditions properly. Except Summer...which is the least safe."

Esme considers the questions, cocking his head as Macaque speaks. "I think that if you're honest, and ready to try to resay what you mean if he takes things wrong, and if he knows to do the same with you he will. Maybe even ask what hurt him and why so you understand what might do it again."

Interesting. But Macaque isn't thinking about exploiting such an advantage, he's thinking about fixing the problem. He needs to stay on Max's good side... and he didn't especially like hurting his feelings inadvertently.

Nothing for it but to try it.

"All right. Thank you, I'll try it."

"If it helps, I'm glad."

Esme will appreciate the fact that Macaque doesn't plan to exploit it, whatever the reason. "And I hope this helps too, but I think he actually likes you. That's why he was so hurt."

"...are you still open to the walk?"

He doesn't know what to say about Max liking him, since that doesn't really surprise him. At least for a given definition of like.

"Of course I'm still open to it." His problems with Max aren't Esme's fault or responsibility. He's one of the reasons Macaque wants to repair the situation, in fact. He stands up and offers Esme a hand.

Sometimes heavy conversations ruin the drive for anything else, so he wanted to be sure. Taking the offered hand, he stands and gives it a squeeze before reluctantly letting go.

"Okay then, we can look at the lanterns and talk about things being different."

"So we can." Macaque walks a few steps before speaking again, making sure Esme is walking beside him.

"I just talked a lot. Would you like to start?"

"Okay...Running water was a shock. But carbonated water...generally clean water at all took getting used to. A lot of water has taken getting used to."

"I understand. I was used to clean water, but only because of the waterfall. Indoor plumbing is pretty great, though. And washing machines." He could espouse the virtues of clean clothes and clean sheets until the end of time.

As they walk, Esme's eyes flick between the lanterns floating into the sky and Macaque, almost like he's worried the monkey's going to portal away on him. Almost.

"I'm still getting used to the washing machines. I do like hot water though. The lack of ale is...difficult, but I do like iced tea."

"Lack of ale? Do they not have a kind like what you're used to at any of the bars?"

"I haven't looked here yet, but in the current year I'm not allowed. Which is a change from it being mixed with all our water."

"Not allowed to drink it, or not allowed in the bars?" The exact rules impact how he can help.

"We used to drink wine fermented with fruit. I miss that, too." Maybe he should look into making it in small batches.

"You had wine?"

The colors Macaque wore maybe should have been a giveaway, at least through Esme's limited knowledge. But he asked another question.

"Apparently you're only allowed alcohol at the middle age of 21. I don't think that to enter a bar though. A friend owned one and didn't seem to mind me simply being there."

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