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seasonsgreetings2023-10-13 12:35 am
seasonsmods) wrote in seasonsgreetings2023-10-13 12:35 am
Entry tags:
Test Drive Meme #5
Test Drive Meme #5
LOGS | NETWORK | OOC | MEMES | NAVIGATION
You arrive in an unknown space, dressed in white clothes (player choice what kind of clothes, as long as they cover everything). Whatever was happening to you before no longer happens. It's like everything was put on a pause and you were transferred away from the situation without you realizing it happened.
The space that you find yourself in is one of these four options:
An empty landscape filled with snow and ice, almost like a blank canvas.
A field with cherry blossom trees and spring flowers.
A sunny beach near an ocean that seems never ending.
A quiet forest with falling autumn leaves.
All of the spaces seem to continue endlessly. No matter where or how far you walk it almost seems like you're not moving at all. There are no animals here - just those who happened to wake up there at the same time, in the same place. Everyone is wearing the same kind of plain, white clothes.
Despite the possible rollercoaster of emotions you might be feeling, the place somehow feels familiar. Like somehow you belong there.
And it looks like you're not alone.
After half an hour has passed the surroundings change as everyone is teleported into a room with all the other new arrivals, no matter what space they woke up in. It's a large place with plenty of seats to sit in and beverages to enjoy. Medical attention is offered to those who need it and the doctors here are very prepared for any challenging situations.
Here, in this room, everyone gets an answer to where they are and why. A hologram of a man appears at the center of the room, waiting to be heard. He brings a message on behalf of the leaders of Ellipsa.
The Message [ Click to Expand ]
Hello, my name is Olwen. I'm one of the leaders of Ellipsa as it currently is. I'm also one of the four who summoned you here.
Our world is in trouble and we need your help. I apologize for tearing you away from your world and forcing you to come here but I hope you understand. The magic we used doesn't let us ask in advance, nor does it let us choose who we bring here.
This world is composed of four Seasonal Segments. All of them represent one of the seasons. They were the places we used to get our resources from, but now they're dangerous places no one should go into unless they have the power to fight back. All of them have their own sets of powerful monsters and natural catastrophes.
We used to have plenty of people here who could control the powers of the four Seasons. We called them Seasonal Power Holders. Unfortunately, due to a tragedy you can read about later, we lost almost all of them. Now only four of us remain and the world is in chaos. We have done our best to protect the world, but we need more power holders to do that.
That's where you come in.
All of you have been assigned to one of the seasons. Whatever space you were in just now is what season you represent. You will learn different skills based on the season and those skills are going to help you save this world.
These powers don't interfere with your own natural powers. They use a new energy that has formed inside of you. It's harmless to your health, but it's vital to your seasonal powers. Your own powers should still work, even if the dark energy outside the city might interfere with them.
Unfortunately bringing you here wasn't as simple as it sounds. We couldn't do anything about how to keep you anchored to this world other than making a simple spell that helps with it. That is, you need to touch someone else who is not from this world ideally at least once a day. It will help you stay in control of your powers and boost your magical energy. If you don't, the consequences aren't very good. But as long as you hold someone's hand or give someone a handshake, you should be fine.
That's all I have to say about the situation. The staff of the Research Center will give you more information about housing and other necessary things. I will, however, promise that you will be sent home once the situation becomes better. That's the least we can do.
The hologram can be viewed in private in a separate room later, should someone wish to look at it again. For now, the staff of the Research Center hands everyone their new smartphones with their small flower lucky charms (the flower is anything the player decides). They're also told that the building next door is where everyone can find a room assigned to them with some of their belongings there and possibly even any animal companions. Those concerned about their mount-sizes companions are welcomed to the stables downstairs to see if their friends are there. The mounts are allowed to stay there until you find a place more suitable for them.
In the Arrival's hall there are also several stands with information pamphlets.
First type of stand is for the local Guilds and about the benefits or joining one.
Second type of stands is for the Welcome Center that aim to show otherworlders what the world is like and help guide people in the beginning of the journey and helps in getting settled into the new world. They even have people to help if you're unfamiliar with the new phones.
Third type of the stands is for The In Touch Support Group that is led by the Otherwordly Ambassador, Kamisato Ayato. The pamphlets have contact information for businesses looking to help Otherworlders. They also focus more on the lore of the World and what they have discovered so far, as well as a guide on what to think about when preparing to venture out to the Segments.
Once you get your smartphone and necessary information, you're urged to go out and find your apartment. After that whatever you want to do is up to you.
Part 3
The building next door is where everyone can find their new apartments. As you enter, you're told by a friendly native that for the first two months you can live anywhere rent-free and five meals a day are paid for you. After that they get a monthly payment that helps with some of their living expenses, but otherwise they have to have a job to support themselves.
All of the apartments are comfortable, two bedroom apartments with all necessary utilities. They are also completely soundproof. Sometimes the magic system, however, does glitch and you might find yourself rooming with a stranger. This is not the intention and the staff will immediately prepare you your own room if you ask them. But maybe having a roommate isn't all that bad?
In the Arrival's hall there are also several stands with information pamphlets.
First type of stand is for the local Guilds and about the benefits or joining one.
Second type of stands is for the Welcome Center that aim to show otherworlders what the world is like and help guide people in the beginning of the journey and helps in getting settled into the new world. They even have people to help if you're unfamiliar with the new phones.
Third type of the stands is for The In Touch Support Group that is led by the Otherwordly Ambassador, Kamisato Ayato. The pamphlets have contact information for businesses looking to help Otherworlders. They also focus more on the lore of the World and what they have discovered so far, as well as a guide on what to think about when preparing to venture out to the Segments.
Once you get your smartphone and necessary information, you're urged to go out and find your apartment. After that whatever you want to do is up to you.
The building next door is where everyone can find their new apartments. As you enter, you're told by a friendly native that for the first two months you can live anywhere rent-free and five meals a day are paid for you. After that they get a monthly payment that helps with some of their living expenses, but otherwise they have to have a job to support themselves.
All of the apartments are comfortable, two bedroom apartments with all necessary utilities. They are also completely soundproof. Sometimes the magic system, however, does glitch and you might find yourself rooming with a stranger. This is not the intention and the staff will immediately prepare you your own room if you ask them. But maybe having a roommate isn't all that bad?
All throughout the city, a festival is taking place. It's the festival to honor the dead. The areas are decorated with aesthetically appropriate lights and different flowers. Upon a closer look it becomes clear that all the flowers are bundles of flowers, based on the otherworlders' flower charms. Where a characters' flower is depends on their Season, but all of the appear in the Nightwake Center district.
The main part of the festivities is to light candles in various places. There are even floating lanterns, that can be either launched to the skies or put on surfaces of water. Those who have lost (= to death) someone at any point in their life will receive a message from them in their dreams and otherwise pleasant dreams about them if they light up a candle during the festivities.
Those who have died before (back in their world or on Ellipsa) will receive a protective light around them if they light up a candle. This light will also let the natives know to treat them with kindness and respect during the festivities. They will even receive special bonuses at some of the shops and restaurants, like discounts or extra items. The light itself will decrease any damage done to them for the rest of the month. The light will dim "when needed", but even as it's not easily noticeable, it will continue to protect.
Characters may receive both of these effects.
The second part of the festivities involves making small ghosts made out of paper or cloth. These crafts are for the local ghosts to possess so they can be seen by everyone. Once the ghosts have possessed the crafts they will hover around the place, experiencing the festivities better than in their ethereal form. Only ghosts that wish to move on to the afterlife will possess the crafts.
Some of the ghosts gather at the Blossomcrown Park where magical crests have been set on various tables there. These ghosts are those who have been waiting for this moment to pass onto afterlife. Everyone visiting the bonfire will be given a special flower wreath. The goal is to wait for one of the ghosts to move and take hold of the wreath (literally holding onto it with their craft ghost forms) before placing it on the crests together with another person. This will help the ghosts to cross the border into afterlife. The wreath disappears after the ghost has passed on. 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.
The park also has some places to just sit down and enjoy the atmosphere at the park. There are also some food and drink stalls.
The final part of the festivities is the multi-day Costume Party Masquerade happening in the largest airship of the city. The ship circles around the whole city of Nightwake, occasionally stopping at the dock and taking new passengers (or letting old ones out) before continuing on again. The airship is special, as it has a giant ballroom in the middle. There are also cabins, some more private and some more communal for those who just want a quick place to crash rather than a proper room.
Everyone who boards the airship must wear some sort of a mask, but they also have to be in a costume of some sort. Those who don't have either or both will be guided to a dressing room where the magic will pick them whatever they are missing at random (= of player's choosing) and dress them (their current clothes will be waiting for them at the airship station later). No one escapes the rule of a costume and a mask around here!
A magic is also applied to everyone's mask, making it harder for anyone to recognize the person wearing it (possibly even those who know them very well). This is said to add some level of mystery to the evening. Of course the spell will pause whenever someone takes off their mask and that may reveal a secret to someone. No one will just automatically forget if they saw someone take off their mask.
The music encourages people to dance and be brave in asking a stranger to dance with them. Thanks to the atmosphere of the masquerade, touch energy will feel even better than usual, even if you'd be "fully loaded".
Another sort of magic sneaks into the party, as people's costumes start to take over their personalities. Someone dressed up as a king might start acting all regal, while a vampire look-a-like might try to bite someone in their neck. Some might even lose the sight of who they really are and completely take on their new roles for the time they're in the airship and in the costume.
Fairies will start trying to bomb people gone weird with water balloons, as a splash of water on their faces will wake them up from the trance (even if the said person is wearing a mask). They're even teleporting water balloons for others to toss - especially if it looks like someone is acting a bit too dangerously.
Another way is to strip them out of their clothes, but that might be something reserved for the privacy of a cabin, rather than the ballroom.
Even once someone has been freed from the spell they can unfortunately be spellbound again later on - but it's just less likely.
- 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.
no subject
Erwin takes in the young man for a moment, a strange sense of familiarity ghosting through the back of his mind, though he's surely never laid eyes on him before, even in spectral memories.
"I see, my apologies." He's about to move on, but pauses with genuine interest. "Coffee?"
Have you ever met a man who didn't know what coffee is, Galliard?
no subject
"What, what?" Galliard was ready to leave and go do his own thing, but the guy doesn't know what coffee is? What kind of crazy backwards place does he come from?
"You don't know what coffee is?" Galliard shakes his head, then gestures for the guy to follow him. "C'mon. We'll go find you some."
no subject
"I'm afraid resources were quite limited, where I'm from." Or it's entirely possible coffee is another word for something he does know, but - there's only one way to find out.
He smiles amicably, nodding as he gestures back. "I'm intrigued. Please, lead the way."
no subject
"All right." Galliard waits for the guy to fall in step with him. He comes from a place without coffee, the poor bastard; he's clearly going to need some guidance. It would be a tragedy to let him drink tea only when there's something else available.
"It's pretty expensive where I'm from. I only got it because I'm in the military." Galliard drops that tidbit to see how the guy reacts. He's assuming that missing arm came from something military-esque, but doesn't want to ask outright. He's a dick, and he knows it, but he's not a 'Hey so what happened to your arm, dude I just met?' dick.
no subject
Erwin easily follows, long legs keeping pace, although he occasionally slows when something new catches his eye (which, admittedly, would be much more often than he actually does stop, but he doesn't want to completely put off his new acquaintance with his meanderings. It's hard, though).
"I see- but that doesn't seem to be the case here, I assume?" He gives Galliard a bit of a closer glance. Young, though not as young as some, and there's an air of experience about him. Erwin himself certainly seems to have that bearing of a military man, as Galliard has already clocked, but: "You were afforded such privileges?" It seems a world of difference from having to scrape for funds, or to underhandedly get some decent goods such as decent tea.
no subject
"I don't know, but probably not." He glances up at Erwin from the corner of his eye. "You know how it is in a war zone. You can't get anything except the essentials."
As to why he got coffee... "I was in the special forces." No reason to freak out the new guy with talk about titans and shifters and whatever else. "We got treated a little better than the rank and file."
no subject
"Ah, that explains it. You must be very talented." Or powerful, or valuable, or many other things that would fit a soldier onto such force. Erwin gestures with his one arm to the area around them. "Is your home very different from here, or similar?"
no subject
"Something like that." Galliard shrugs. His fishing attempt didn't work, but he didn't really expect it to. He's never been very good at recon, and that clearly hasn't changed with being dead. As to his talent or value, that's a debatable point too. When it really mattered, he fucked up. More than once.
It is what it is. He turns his attention to the question.
"The technology here is different. More advanced." He points to a passing window, where there's a toaster and some other appliances on display. "I know what those are, but they'd be bigger and clunkier where I'm from. Everything here is... slick."
If fishing didn't work, maybe a direct question will. Galliard just answered one, so maybe the one-armed guy will now. "What about you? Is your world like this one?"
no subject
Or so it seems, at least.
"My world does not have anything like electricity. We still do many things by hand and use things like oil lamps and candles. Nothing like this," Erwin likewise gestures to the things in the window, like the toaster. "What does it do?"
apparently Marley has toasters, a new head canon by me
"That? That's a toaster." Galliard gestures at the two slots on top of the sleek metal box. "You put pieces of bread in there, then push down that handle on the side. You wait a few minutes, and the bread comes out, toasted."
He points out another one. "That's a carpet sweeper. You use it to get dirt and stuff off the floor." His expression softens a little. "My mom always wanted one, but they were too expensive."
makes sense to me tbh!!
"It toasts bread without flame?" Erwin has a burning need to acquire one of these immediately and take it apart just to see how it works. Or- perhaps there was one back in the apartment? He thinks he recalls seeing a similar device in his investigations there.
A carpet sweeper sounds something like Levi would be itching to get his hands on. A softer expression comes over his face, wondering what the man would make of all this. Erwin doesn't yet know that he is already here.
"Such convenient devices, I can't help but wonder what other things have been invented to help people in their daily lives, here or in your home."
no subject
Coffee can wait if he'd rather do some exploring.
"There's a lot of things here that I don't recognise." Less Erwin think Galliard is a tech wizard or something, he points out a colourful little device sitting towards the front. "I have no idea what a Nintando Swatch is, for example."
no subject
Truly, it's the sheer dazzling array of colors that has been no end of fascination for him as well - everything is so bright, even in the daylight, almost excessively so. Erwin pops a quizzical look at the strange little device and gives a shrug.
"Let's continue."
no subject
Oh, well. Another day.
There's a coffee shop a few doors down, and Galliard holds the door open for Erwin. The scent of coffee beans and sugar wafts out at them like a wave.
"Since you've never had it before, you should probably get milk in yours."
no subject
Erwin flashes a smile at Galliard and gestures toward the counter. "I'll be happy to follow any and all advice. Perhaps you could order for me what you think is best? Although I am curious to learn the differences between all of the options."
no subject
"Uh..." He got them into this mess, though, and he's going to get them out. Galliard approaches the counter and consults with the person behind it for a moment, then returns to Erwin. "I got us both a latte. That's a coffee with steamed milk in it."
He leans in, dropping his voice to share this next tidbit. "The guy asked me if I wanted oat milk. Since when can you get milk from an oat?"
Needless to say, their lattes will be made with cow's milk.
no subject
The machines whirr and Erwin finds an angle at the counter where he can watch all of the steps of the process, particularly fascinated by the steaming and swirling of the milk, then the technique of the barista as they pour it in and create a leaflike pattern on the top. He gives a warm thanks to the preparer and follows his companion--
...ah. He still hasn't asked this young man's name. Great going, Erwin.
"Well, I'm very excited to try this now. But first, my apologies, I've been so distracted with - everything." Erwin sets the cup down, extending his left hand (sorry, it's the only one he's got).
"I'm Erwin Smith."
no subject
"They said they had milk from soy beans and coconuts too." At least coconuts make sense on some level! They have liquid inside them, so it's not a stretch to imagine they could make milk too. The oats and soy beans have Galliard flummoxed.
"If you like the latte, you can try to oat milk next time. The guy said it's supposed to taste better." But then the guy is offering his hand, and Galliard only hesitates for a second before taking it in his own left hand and shaking.
"Yeah, I forgot too. I'm Galliard. Nice to meet you, Erwin."
no subject
"Galliard, and for me as well," he acknowledges with a smile and nod. It doesn't seem particularly familiar. "Is that a family name?" Or perhaps it's his only name? It certainly wouldn't be the first time he's discovered someone who has only ever known one.
He's almost reluctant to take a sip and ruin the lovely art done in foam, so he delays trying it for a moment with:
"What's a coconut?"
no subject
"A coconut is a big nut that comes from a palm tree." Galliard holds up his hands to demonstrate. "It's about this big. It has white meat inside that you can eat, and turn into milk, according to these guys."
no subject
His eyes widen a bit at the size of the coconut. "Fascinating. Palm trees? Do they look like...palms?" He's imagining a tree vaguely in the shape of a human hand, maybe like titan hands coming out of the earth...
...maybe not like that.
Erwin takes a sip of the coffee - it's more bitter than he'd expected, but it's nicely offset by the cream of the milk and the light foam atop. It's a different sort of bitterness to tea, but not unpleasant.
"Mm," he licks foam from his lips. "This is very good, actually."
no subject
He watches Erwin sip his coffee, then takes a sip of his own. He's more used to the flavor of it, but his eyes still widen at the absolute indulgence of all this milk.
"This is a lot of milk." It's said with an approving lilt to his voice. "I'm surprised it wasn't more expensive."
no subject
He takes another sip - it really is quite good - and nods. "I agree, things like milk and sugar were fairly prime things in my home." Sugar especially so, and probably not even in the way that sugar here is found.
"How do you usually have it?"
no subject
He waves one hand. "Supply lines, you know? Too hard to transport fresh milk to the front lines, and grunts like me were never good enough for sugar. We considered it lucky they gave us coffee at all."