Test Drive Meme #11

[seasonsmods]

Test Drive Meme #11
LOGS | NETWORK | OOC | MEMES | NAVIGATION

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

Comments

[dereban]

[ Kami.

That's something that she's familiar with, being from Japan. Of course, she understands that different worlds can take the term and do whatever they want with it. So she chooses not to make assumptions.

Instead, she just listens.

Listens, until he's done and then she lets out a heavy breath; one that she didn't think she was holding. ]

... look, I get it. But you and those spirits are different. Those are people who have already experienced the world before.

[ As she speaks, she finds herself squeezing her hands into tight fists, nails digging into the skin. Her expression is that of someone who really, truly understands. ]

But experiencing something that doesn't belong to them any longer isn't right.

[ A brittle laugh escapes her lips and she can hear the voice in her head say it. You're a hypocrite though, aren't you?

The look in her eyes is full of melancholy, almost as if she's about to cry. But she manages to keep it together as she continues, keeping her voice even. ]

If people keep lending them their bodies, then it's only a matter of time where someone warped enough will be willing to kill someone for it. Another chance at life, even if it isn't their own. It pisses me off.

At that point, you can't call them people anymore. They're just parasites.

[spacialeyes]

[Yuuto nods slowly. He does understand her point: This situation is far different from that of the spirits and kami back in his home world. It's not the same as his situation either, even if he feels empathy for it.

He looks down at his chopsticks, waiting until she's finished speaking before quietly speaking up.]

Still, I... I can't look away if someone asks for my help. [A breath. Then a shameful confession:] I don't know how to.

[dereban]

[ She brings both of her hands to the side of his face, trying to get him to properly look at her. There's a shine to her bright hazel eyes and a seriousness to her voice. ]

You have to say no, Yuuto.

[ This conversation feels nostalgic in the worst kind of way. Her stomach churns, just remembering it.

"Normally your hero complex wouldn't really be an issue, but right now, in these circumstances, it's a fatal flaw... because it means you don't have a capacity to do nothing."

But that's why she has to say something. ]

If you help every single time someone asks you to, you'll hurt more than just yourself at the end of it all.

[spacialeyes]

[Yuuto flinches, though not in such a way that it isn't easy to keep hold of his face. His instinct is to look away from her eyes, from that's difficult in this position. So he makes eye contact.

The problem being that his expression is almost completely blank. For just these few moments, Yuuto's true self shows in a way he doesn't want to admit: Emptiness. Confusion. Doubt and fear. The parts of himself that he can't escape.]

I don't know what else to do... I don't want to become someone who doesn't help. I don't know 'who' that person would even be..?

[dereban]

[ Ah.

This time, Inaba is the one that flinches slightly at the sight of his blank expression. The brutal honesty of it all is extremely terrifying to the point that she can feel her heart tighten.

It hurts. ]

Then... help me.

[ She's so selfish, in this moment. Her voice is watery. ]

I don't want you to have to sacrifice yourself so much.

[spacialeyes]

[He blinks. The confusion is still on his face, but the emptiness in his eyes is pushed back by an affectionate stare.

Yuuto doesn’t physically nod, but makes a soft sound to indicate that he would.]

… Mm. What can I do for you, Himeko?

[It’s easier this way, he realizes. While he’s learning to say ‘no,’ he can instead focus on just a few people. Starting with her.]

[dereban]

Don't sacrifice your body for the spirits anymore. Please.

[ Her words are extremely quiet. ]

I worry that they might do something to you and...

[spacialeyes]

[Very few people will appreciate how much strength and character development it takes for Yuuto to finish her sentence this way:]

... That would be bad?

[He's beginning to learn how to accept being loved.]

[dereban]

Yeah.

[ Her smile is pitiful. It's not happy in the slightest. ]

That's not too much to ask, is it?

[spacialeyes]

... Mm.

[Yuuto relaxes. The emptiness finally fades as he sighs in relief.]

Thank you. That makes sense... I can do that.

[dereban]

Thank you.

[ What else can she say, really? ]

[spacialeyes]

And- um... I'm sorry. For hurting you..?

You look hurt.

[dereban]

Ah...

[ Her words trail off awkwardly, her gaze lowering. ]

You didn't know that sort of thing could.

[spacialeyes]

Me not knowing doesn't make the pain any less. [He lifts his hand, intending to hold her cheek and comfort her-

Then stops.]

I interrupted your meal, huh?

[dereban]

It's fine.

[ ... ]

I'm not hungry anymore, anyway.

[spacialeyes]

I can box it up for later. [He prepares to stand up,] Hold on. I'll take care of it, okay? We could sit somewhere else for a bit? And calm down..?

[dereban]

There's some wrap in the kitchen drawers. You can leave the leftovers in the fridge.

[spacialeyes]

Right. Pardon me, then! I'll be right with you!

[He'll hurry off to clean the table and put away their meals for now. He's more worried about her than he is hungry anyway.]

[dereban]

...

[ She wound up remembering things that she really wanted to put to rest. In the end, she doesn't say anything; instead simply just kind of sitting in the chair she's in like she's a doll for a moment, staring at the table that used to have a nice, hearty meal before letting out a heavy sigh.

Really, at a time like this, she's still so very fragile, isn't she?

It doesn't make her feel any better to have the fear lodged in her chest in her very own--

Could she even call this place that?

Shaking her head, she pushes herself up from her seat and heads to the living room couch. While she doesn't know if she can truly relax, she wants to at least... try. ]

[spacialeyes]

[At least in Yuuto's case, cleaning and helping around the house does help him to reset his mood. He's always been good at that and slips between masks without meaning to. Seemingly calmed, and with the kitchen in order, he heads back to the living room to check in on her.

It doesn't take a genius to tell she's not doing great.]

Himeko? May I sit with you?

[dereban]

...yeah.

[ Inaba leans into the couch a little more but doesn't look directly at him, instead staring at the ceiling above her. ]

[spacialeyes]

[He looks up at the ceiling as he sits, then back at her.]

... Can I touch you?

[dereban]

...hm?

[ She lowers her gaze towards Yuuto, looking a little more shy now. ]

Yeah. You can.

[spacialeyes]

[Yuuto gently cups her cheek with his hand, easing her towards meeting his gaze.]

If you need to say something, I won't fight you on it. Like you did for me. We're partners... Okay?

1 / 2

[dereban]

That's...

[ She doesn't escape his gaze. But there's something in her gut that feels a sense of discomfort. ]