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seasonsgreetings2025-04-18 03:32 pm
seasonshelpers) wrote in seasonsgreetings2025-04-18 03:32 pm
Entry tags:
Test Drive Meme #14
Test Drive Meme #14
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 staff nearby tells them that the message has finally been properly updated from the original one that can still be found from the records.
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. We wouldn't have resorted to it if we weren't desperate. Our world has lost the majority of power holders who kept the balance in our world and dealt with the dangers of the Segments. Just having one power holder for each Season isn't enough. That's why we have summoned you to become the new Seasonal Power Holders.
This world is composed of four Seasonal Segments. All of them represent one of the seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn. 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 have recently managed to regain some footing in the segments and made them safer, but there is still a lot of work to be done. The Darkness still plagues our world, but we are constantly finding ways to fight back.
Otherworlders like you have already made great differences to the world. They have managed to find and free the dragons who in turn helped us expand the area we live in. They also managed to find the Fairy Queen and even the Mermaids and Sirens of the Great Ocean Lake are at peace due to the efforts of a few otherworlders. All of these things we couldn't have accomplished with just four power holders.
My sincere wish is that you would join us in working towards saving this world. We promise to send you home afterwards, or enable a way to travel to your world and back, as a compensation for your efforts here. You're even free to stay here, if that suits you better. This world can also be yours.
I know we're asking you a lot and that it might be hard to trust someone who just talks as a hologram, but you are always free to approach us at our guilds to talk in person.
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-sized 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 of joining one.
Second type of stand 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 a stand has various pamphlets about businesses opened by otherworlders.
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 a room of your own. But maybe having a roommate isn't all that bad?
Part 3
The locals have taken upon themselves to advertise the Welcome Center that is run mostly by otherworlders. Newcomers are encouraged to visit it, but sometimes the people might think someone who has been a while is new.
Inside one finds a modern Japanese style lobby with plenty of sofas, soft seats and cushions to sit on. Anyone is welcome to just sit around and eat some home-made snacks. There are also computers for searching information and practicing technology skills. There's usually someone behind the front desk, but if no one seems to be there they might be in the kitchen behind the front desk area.
Upstairs there are many rooms that can be into familiar places for characters (not exactly the same, but similar) with futuristic technology. It's set up to help fight any homesickness and provide a quiet place to relax.
One bonus the Welcome Center provides is a gift basket with some treats, basic ingredients for making meals and some gift cards for the Underground Mall, to possibly shop for new clothes or other necessary items. All of these have been donated by volunteers to help newcomers settle in.
Of course the people working here are always looking for new volunteers to help around! There are plenty of things to do, all in the name of making otherworlders' arrival to a new world more comfortable.
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 of joining one.
Second type of stand 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 a stand has various pamphlets about businesses opened by otherworlders.
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 a room of your own. But maybe having a roommate isn't all that bad?
The locals have taken upon themselves to advertise the Welcome Center that is run mostly by otherworlders. Newcomers are encouraged to visit it, but sometimes the people might think someone who has been a while is new.
Inside one finds a modern Japanese style lobby with plenty of sofas, soft seats and cushions to sit on. Anyone is welcome to just sit around and eat some home-made snacks. There are also computers for searching information and practicing technology skills. There's usually someone behind the front desk, but if no one seems to be there they might be in the kitchen behind the front desk area.
Upstairs there are many rooms that can be into familiar places for characters (not exactly the same, but similar) with futuristic technology. It's set up to help fight any homesickness and provide a quiet place to relax.
One bonus the Welcome Center provides is a gift basket with some treats, basic ingredients for making meals and some gift cards for the Underground Mall, to possibly shop for new clothes or other necessary items. All of these have been donated by volunteers to help newcomers settle in.
Of course the people working here are always looking for new volunteers to help around! There are plenty of things to do, all in the name of making otherworlders' arrival to a new world more comfortable.
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 earned it the title of 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.
Traditionally, the Frostreign district has been too cold for rain, and so serves as a refuge from the Rain of Affection. For the beginnings of this year's rainy season, this rings true, but a few days in, TV and network broadcasts are hijacked with static leading into a video feed of a dimly lit storage room packed with boxes and random garbage. Three shadowed figures stand in front of a yellow banner with a teacup painted on it in cheap acrylic.
The Broadcast [ Click to Expand ]
"Attention, citizens!" One of the figures, the one in the centre, speaks up. "This is a message from the famous Cups Gang!"
The one on the left raises their hand. "Uh, are we really famous? Ain't no one heard of us, 'cept that time we tried scammin' people by openin' a zoo and painted a dog up as a Chimera Bear."
The one on the right pipes up. "And the time we stole city hall! ...Well, we stuck our name on it, that's kinda like stealing it."
"Hey," the first one snaps. "Are you givin' the speech or am I? I say we're famous, we become famous. It's one'a them manifesting things."
"If you say so." The one on the left shifts.
"Anyway." Centre speaks again. "Youse guys in the city think you're so great, hidin' in the snow so you don't gotta get all smoochy-faced in public, eh? Well, you didn't count on us!"
"Yeah!" The gangster on the right pumps their fist. "You're gonna get soaked too! And no one's ever gonna laugh at us again!"
Centre points at the screen. "You got that? Anyone hidin' out in Frostreign, from today on, you're gonna remember the Cups!"
The video cuts off.
True to form, people outside will start spotting hot-air balloons flying from Coldreach and Stormreach into Frostreign with rain barrels, dumping buckets of rainwater onto unsuspecting pedestrians.
What the Cups Gang didn't seem to take into account is that... water freezes. Most of the time, the falling bucketfuls of rainwater will start freezing over, so the unlucky souls underneath will be soaked in Slush of Affection -- just as cuddly as if they'd been rained on in the other districts, but also cold. The slush also quickly freezes with the weather outside, suspending the effect, but if characters go inside or use seasonal powers to warm up, the affection effect reactivates with the melting slush until they either freeze again or dry off.
It's not constantly raining, though, and whenever there's a break in the Rain of Affection, rainbows appear. The citizens claim that the rainbows left by the Rain of Affection can grant wishes; those who have been in Ellipsa long enough may remember the year that the rainbows gave them anything from good luck to a gift card to a free regain from home. What could the rainbows have in store this year?
Anyone who holds hands looking at a rainbow will find that their truest, deepest wish is now clear in their mind. Even if they were in denial over it, worried as to what it would mean, or couldn't name what they wanted most before. Maybe the rainbows wanted to help people make their own dreams come true this year.
Of course, holding hands for longer will increase the magic, and characters might feel compelled to say what they want the most. For some, the sudden emotional honesty might be exactly what they need. For others, being honest, or honest with the specific person they're with at the time, might cause a problem. Might want to be careful out there... but then, do you really know what the people around you want the most?
A new portal has opened up near the Pokémon Vending Machine in the Underground Mall - and it's going to be hard to miss. Right outside of it, there's an archway that's made to look like a very recognizable mascot Pokémon. Early exploration of the new dimension has led them to realize that this place houses a massive array of Pokémon, and as expansive as it is - it’s going to need a lot of people willing to explore it to get the full scope of landmarks and Pokémon that can be found throughout it.
There’s a sign outside of the portal with a list of a few of the things that they’re interested in having information on:
There’s a lot left to be explored, and though there’s no big announcement about the portal, word travels back and everyone is bound to hear about the portal in a short time!
Stepping into the domain is like stepping into another world. Right inside of it, there’s an array of things for getting started on exploration.
There’s a vending machine with simple food and drink items that are going to be easy to store and travel with when venturing further into the domain. There’s also a small machine with camping items - just in case anyone forgot to grab their own before setting out into the domain. Any items bought are yours to keep - and it seems these vending machines were set up just after the domain was opened up.
Nearby, there’s a vending machine featuring things that are needed for any Pokémon Trainer - Poké Balls! All Poké Balls (except Master) are able to be obtained in this vending machine. And, if someone gets lucky it will drop a shiny charm or other useful items in your adventure (think things like Potions, Repels, Lures).
Throughout the domain, there’s several different biomes - mountains, fields, forests, water, ice, caves, etc. They are typically found in biomes appropriate to them (Zubats in Caves, Rattatas in tall grass, Magikarp in bodies of water - for example). Most Pokémon can be found if you search the right spots. There are no Legendary or Mythical Pokémon, and the Pseudo-Legendary are extremely rare.
Other locations that can be found throughout domain are:
They can’t wait to hear what you find on your travels! Stay safe, catch Pokémon, and be sure to share your findings!
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!
• Welcome Center welcomes newcomers and those who have been here for a while alike
Blame It On the Weatherman
• Rain of Affection, a yearly weather pattern that makes people want to kiss, is happening throughout the city except the Nightwake and Frostreign districts
• Umbrellas are for sale that may have harmless magical effects
• The Cups, a very stupid gang, hijack the airwaves to announce their plan and start dumping Rain of Affection on people who went to Frostreign to escape the rain effect
• During a break in the rain, holding hands looking at a rainbow will make characters realize what they want most, and may make them say it out loud
2.B.A. Master
• A new dimension has opened up near the Pokemon Vending Machine in the Underground Mall.
• Everyone is invited to explore, catch Pokemon, and check out the new landscapes.
• There are a variety of biomes and the full array of Pokemon. Pokemon are found in biomes appropriate to them - except Legendary or Mythical Pokemon, and the Pseudo-Legendary are extremely rare.
• There's several landmarks to visit throughout the Domain.
• There's bicycle and scooter stations to make travel easier.
• Unmanned Pokemon centers and Pokemon Staffed Pokemon centers are scatters.
• Vending Machines with necessary items, Observation Towers, and Campgrounds.
- Ask your questions related to the TDM here.
- List of Pokémon can be found from here or here. Remember to check that a Pokémon that catches your eyes is not legendary or a mythical Pokémon.
- Pokémon guidelines for the game can be found 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.
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Hijikata. [ Maine nods. ] Will look him up.
[ If he can get this odd little creature to fight alongside him, who knows? It could be quite an asset. But first… ]
Needs a name… [ To Rinku: ] Blue?
[ Which is highly unoriginal as far as names go, but he's at least trying. ]
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[Rinku... also isn't creative with names.]
What do you think, Blue-chan? It's cute, right? And you're blue, so it fits. And water's blue too! Usually.
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Blue-chan. [ Maine nods. ] Easy to remember.
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Balls looked familiar. [ He makes an "-ish" gesture with his hand. ] Got curious.
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[Mecchan nods, clinging to Rinku.]
We've been friends for two years now! He and Hina-chan are part of the family now.
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Then Maine blinks. ]
Been here two years?
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Long time. You like it?
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[ Maine listened to the briefing when he got here, of course. But he'd like to hear about some of the progress from an Otherworlder like him. ]
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Oh! And we've been helping all the other civilizations in Ellipsa! Those guys were messing with them, too. The Fairy Kingdom in the Spring Segment got taken over and its queen got abducted, the mermaids and sirens in the Great Ocean Lake got set up to go to war with each other, the dragons who disappeared forever ago and only the old people still remembered them being around turned out to have been backstabbed by a human and sealed behind the Forever Falls. We helped all of them out to fix all that stuff! And now we have twice the amount of territory back that we started out with!
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A lot of it sounds like a fantasy novel. But this is Maine's reality now. He can either accept it and move on, or he can fight it and still have to move on. Accepting it is more efficient. ]
Playing major role.
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Sounds serious.
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These guys help?
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Get big. Get strong. Help.
[ So sayeth Maine. ]
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Bathroom?
[ He needs to change. ]
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[She points down one of the hallways in the vending area.]
You didn't get clothes from home with all your starting stuff?
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Armor.
[ Which he didn't want to waltz around in here, while he was just trying to go shopping. ]
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Thanks.
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