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seasonsgreetings2025-12-12 10:44 am
seasonshelpers) wrote in seasonsgreetings2025-12-12 10:44 am
Entry tags:
Test Drive Meme #18
Test Drive Meme #18
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.
Wandering around during December and January may also end in stepping on a fairy circle, which will then transport the person straight to Fairy Kingdom, skipping the orientation in the Research Center... [Skip to straight to Fairy Yule to You prompts.]
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. After December 2025, there was also a new addition at the end of the hologram.
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.
Also, as an important note that I have neglected to add to the speech previously, but is possibly the most important information for you. To keep yourself anchored to this world you have to generate touch energy. If you don't touch another otherworlder regularly, you will start feeling sick and eventually turn into a stone statue, in a week or so. This, however, isn't the end - you can be saved even from that. However, we highly recommend shaking someone's hand at least once a day to keep your touch energy at a good level.
My sincerest apologies for neglecting to add this here before, despite mentioning it on the old hologram.
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.
All over Nightwake (and parts of the segments) there are fairy circles leading straight into the newly opened Fairy Kingdom. The colors there are vibrant and the atmosphere is full of joy and excitement. Various signs hover in the air, telling where anything here is, but the biggest sign is pointing towards the central plaza.
There one may encounter people who have just arrived to Ellipsa dressed in their white clothes. Any fairies around will giggle and tell them it was a prank and it was such a success - but also suggest helping them understand what is going on.
Those who are new will find that their new smartphones will teleport from out of nowhere, including the flower charm on the phone. Even their regular clothes or some of the items they might be needing at the moment just appear around them. Of course there's a high chance of the wrong item arriving. Even those who have been here for years may find their items mixed in with the new arrivals' items.
Aside from item chaos, the great fountain in the middle of the plaza has a floating parchment nearby it. It says "those who throw in a fairy coin will receive a permanent magical energy upgrade". These fairy coins are being handed out by fairies near the fountains. Tossing more than one, or anything other than a fairy coin, will not increase the effect or do anything additional.
Some of the fairies will also remind everyone of the two simple rules: don't eat food made for the fairies, never reveal your True Name.
After everyone is encouraged to visit the fountain, the Fairy Kingdom is open for exploration. The fairies even say that anyone here can now use simple fairy magic, as long as they remain positive. Most of the spells are simple parlor tricks, but there are some very more powerful ones, such as being able to phase through walls, changing their size at will or conjuring flowers. These spells only work within the Fairy Kingdom or places associated with it.
Those who insist on being negative or very rude become targets for more mischievous fairies, who will attempt to turn people partly into animals (usually pigs, as they think it’s an insult). The only way to undo their spell is to get 10 kisses from 10 different people (cheek and hand kisses count) or waiting for 24 hours.
One of the more noticeable things is the different colorful wells around the kingdom. Those who are always honest with their feelings will find the wells vibrantly colored and bubbly, while those who constantly lie about them will turn the wells grayscale and dry. Should two different kind of emotions clash, the well is split half in between.
The fairies will insist that the wells need to be colorful for the kingdom to feel well and try to encourage those with dishonest feelings to open up. Doing so near a well will feel great, but might also lead to uncontrollable tears.
Of course there are plenty of other places to discover here.
Habitats and notable locations
HabitatsPetal Court Gardens
Home of the Fairy Queen’s court. Pristine lawns, endless blossoms, drifting petals that respond to a person's nature or mood. (You might get ominous aura petals around someone threatening or sweet heart petals around someone thinking amorous thoughts). Courtly fae glide around as motes or orbs with wings, watching newcomers with amusement and might encourage visitors to break into song while looking into a reflective pool... with lyrics that may reveal their true feelings.
Glowshimmer Groves
A forest where bioluminescent plants and tiny floating lights hum in response to touch or sound. These groves are especially soothing but be careful not to get too lost in here- they can have humans end up lost in memories, and pull someone in with them to witness them.
Mushroom Village Outpost
A surface-level cluster of giant mushrooms connected to the deeper Mushroom Sanctuary (through fairy portals). Tiny doorways, fae pranksters, soft glowing spores, and lots of smug mushroom people.
Skybud Terraces
Floating platforms and petal bridges that rise and fall depending on emotional resonance. Characters with strong emotions may unintentionally launch themselves into the air! But there's much to enjoy here, including making cloud rainbow sweets- the terraces are home to some excellent cuisine! No special effects. For now, because they're behaving.
Dewsong Pools
A serene water-garden inhabited by water fairies who sing to ripple the surface. The pools grant temporary reflection-based magic (clairvoyance, emotional clarity, enhanced sensory perception... and perhaps raised desire for just about anything). Yes, you could end up hyperfocusing or hyperfeeling if you indulge too long.
Colorforge Hollow
A cavern where emotions harden into colored crystals. Fairies use these to craft wands, jewelry, or spells. Visitors may find their own emotions crystallizing into keepsakes, but don't worry, none of them will be stolen- unless someone takes them. So hold onto your memories, and if you want to remember them, be sure to gift the treasures first!
Other Notable Areas
These are landmarks that characters may use as hubs, trouble spots, or scenic backdrops:
Rainbow Canopy Trail
A walkway beneath towering flowers whose petals act as stained glass, casting rainbow light on everything below. Stepping on certain colors activates small spells.
The Colorless Ruins (Sealed)
Remnants of the Darkness-corrupted era. Pale, muted remnants where fae lost their hues. Now safe but eerily quiet. A popular location for letting out those brooding thoughts, but brood too long and you might turn to stone and need to be kissed back to life.
The Court Amphitheater
Where fairy music, emotional resonance performances, and magical displays are held. The acoustics amplify feelings as much as sound and can make for a magical environment! Concerts are especially wonderful.
Whimsy Market
A chaotic bazaar full of impossible goods: bottled laughter, petal perfume, illusion candy, tiny familiars, mood-changing sparklers, sentient scarves and more. Prices are emotional energy.
Heartpath Labyrinth
A shifting, low-danger maze made of hedges and illusions. Gets easier the more honest a character is with their emotions. Fairies use it to teach newcomers how to feel properly.
The Fairy Queen resides inside the castle, on the Throne of Bloom. She will gladly meet with otherworlders and chat with them about her kingdom and tell stories about the different areas to explore.
She is also the one to visit if someone broke one of the two important fairy rules: don't give your true name and don't eat fairy food. Only she can release a person who has broken the rules and even then she will require a fee. This can be anything from fresh tears of love to beautiful exotic flower.
To get back to Nightwake, there are two options. One is to take the teleport crystal just outside the Fairy Kingdom entrance: it will lead to one of the four guilds. Another is to find a fairy circle that will lead to a random place in Nightwake.
As the holiday season comes, Yuletide decorations start to be put up throughout Nightwake. Yuletide celebrates togetherness, love, and lights. No matter where anyone looks - they will see seasonal decor featuring lots of color and especially lights. Everyone seems to be getting into the spirit of the season and otherworlders are encouraged to decorate their houses and businesses as well - especially if it captures traditions from their homes. Ellipsans are always excited to see how it is that everyone celebrates this time of year!
Every district will also have a pop-up ice skating rink that will appear. These are a special feature of Yuletide, as they will never melt, no matter the climate. Near the rinks there will be a few stalls that will feature seasonal favorites - including things like drinks (both hot and cold varieties), sweet treats, and savory snacks. There will also be a booth where anyone can rent or buy ice skates to use on the rink!
In Frostreign, there's a bit more. In addition to the skating rink and food stalls, there's an entire Winter Market. This market features items from a wide variety of vendors. Items featured will definitely vary and can include things like seasonal decor and items that will make perfect gifts this season!
Mistletoe is a common decoration that is set up this time of year. And with it comes mistletoe's biggest fan - the small fairy bunnies (bunnies with fairy wings and cute ribbons). The fairy bunnies love that mistletoe brings people together and that's what their goal is with it. These bunnies will fly around with mistletoe and hover near couples (or just two people walking on the street together) and won't leave until they kiss.
Some bunnies will float around a single person who looks like they need a little joy to try and get them a kiss. They are persistent, too. If they can't find anyone nearby, they will teleport them to another person with a bunny to set them up with a kiss.
Some other bunnies - who are new to the job - are a little confused about the assignment. Instead of mistletoe - they are carrying around missile toads. These toads have a tiny toy missiles strapped to their back. With these, set the toads free and the fairy bunnies will understand and do the job right next time!
All bunnies can be bribed with a treat (dandelions are their favorite) - and they do eventually get tired. They love to rest on people's shoulders.
The legend of Yule Cat is a popular story being told. The story says that Yule Cat is a fluffy, large, black cat that comes down from the snowy mountains. This cat has a keen fashion sense and is inclined towards judgment. While no one has spotted the cat, everyone seems to be dressed in their best!
But Yule Cat is a harsh judge! If he doesn't like someone's look, a random gift will show up on their doorstep at one point through the holiday season. For otherworlders - this means that they will regain one non-magical item from home, whether it was something they would ask for or not. If he likes someone's look - nothing happens, but this has never happened before as Yule Cat, bafflingly, doesn't like anyone's look.
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
• Alternatively they can also get teleported via fairy circle into the Fairy Kingdom and miss the orientation.
Fairy Yule to You
• Nightwake has fairy circles all over the place that lead to the Fairy Kingdom
• There characters can help confused newcomers
• Smartphones and items get teleported to characters (sometimes to wrong ones)
• The fountain on the plaza grants a one-time upgrade to magical energy by the use of fairy coins
• Characters are able to use simple fairy magic within the kingdom, as long as they're positive
• Too much negativity will cause the fae to turn people partially into animals (usually pigs)
• There are colorful wells that respond to honest feelings
• All of the kingdom is free to explore
• The Fairy Queen can be met the Throne of Bloom
• She can release those who might have broken fairy rules and gotten stuck in the kingdom
• Fairy Circles and the teleport crystal outside the kingdom lead back to Nightwake
Meet Me Under the Missile-Toad
• Yule decorations start appearing around Nightwake, some of which may look familiar to otherworlders as things from their own homes.
• Ice skating rinks pop up around town with stalls to rent skates and have treats.
• Frostreign has a winter market where everyone can shop for decoration and gifting.
• Fairy Bunnies will encourage pairs of people to kiss, and won't leave until it happens.
• They will pair up single people either by waiting around or teleporting them to another single person.
• Some fairy bunnies are confused about the mission and have strung up toads with toy missiles.
• Yule Cat - fashion aficionado - hates everyone's clothes, but this is a good thing as this means that otherworlders can regain one non-magical item from home.
- Ask your questions related to the TDM here.
- The TDM is only available to the friends of the mods and those invited by any of our players. 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 the Bestiary.
- FAQ has information on characters' smartphones as well as general things about the world that might be handy.
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Why are science people so rude?
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There are actually nice scientists? Dr. Wynn was never really nice. And her hands were always cold.
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[Rinku sits on the edge of the fountain and kicks her feet.]
Lots of them. The evil kind aren't normal usually. I grew up in science encampments, mostly just the one after we stopped moving around, and everyone was pretty nice. Or just focused on their research. They taught me lots of stuff about animals!
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[K-11 joins Rinku in sitting on the fountain and just watches her.]
Like what did they teach you?
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[She sounds just as excited as if she were talking about a more glamourous animal.]
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They sound kinda cute. Like hissss, don't eat me. Or hiiiisssss, this is my rotten stuff. Or hiiiiiissssss~ Wanna make out? Like that?
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They had rats but I couldn't play with them. There was this one thing when the others woke up. It could turn into people. Like copy them. It tried to copy me. It was a mean thing though. I think it wanted out but Alan said we couldn't leave if it was still alive.
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...
You wanna make out?
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[Rinku hops up to her feet and offers a hand.]
I haven't been here in a while, and never to just explore and have fun!
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Then let's go explore for fun! You wanna go see the gardens?
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[She tugs him forward and starts humming.]
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[He follows with a curious smile and some pep in his step.]
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