Seasons Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
seasonsmods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
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
Eren doesn't bother joining Marco in the water. He lets Marco do his thing, enjoying the surf and the probably strange push and pull of it. Eren himself finds it disorienting, standing here watching a friend who didn't live to see it splashing around in the sea. He has enjoyed(?) being here before, like the day of the beach party. He comes here sometimes when it's quietest, at dusk or something, because of course he does.
"The one back home is way bigger," he says. "The walls were always meant only to cage us in."
no subject
"Who decided that - to cage us in?" he asks, and then glances at Eren. "If you want to talk about it." He wouldn't blame Eren for wanting to leave talk of what happened at home behind for a while longer.
no subject
He chews on his lip for a second, considering. All his nervous little habits are like this, almost self-destructive, channeling the energy he doesn't even realise he still has into something. It's just so rarely something good, even when he's trying.
"The first king, I guess," he answers. God, there's so much Marco doesn't even know.
"Karl Fritz, that first king, he brought a bunch of people like us — they call us Eldians, after the name of the kingdom we originated in 2,000 years ago — to the island. Uh. An island is like…land all surrounded by water. All the land we live on is Paradis Island. The ocean is on every side once you actually get out far beyond the walls."
There's that resentment in his voice again. The island is as much a cage as the walls are, but he won't get directly into it right now.
"Karl Fritz was someone who could do what I can," he says, which is and isn't exactly accurate, "I mean be a titan."
He's quiet again for a second.
"Marco," he says, quietly but not too quiet that he can't be heard. "Titans were all people once. Every single one of them. Most can't retain their regular memories and shit, or control it like I can. But they were all human beings."
just does a handwave of timey wimey stuff so i can add more blurb
He's not really sure where they go when they slip from his stunned fingers, and at this point he doesn't care. His eyes are wide, and Eren may or may not recognize the expression on his face - the look of someone who realizes they've taken a life.
Jean had mentioned the King was a lie, that Historia was the real queen - and this must have been why. The first King was a shifter, a Titan, like Eren, and he brought them to that island. It's not a stretch to realize that he built those walls. The information barely sinks into his brain before Eren tells him that they were all human beings.
He doesn't say anything for a long time, he just looks through Eren. Finally he speaks again.
"I don't ... understand. How?"
no subject
He stands there and lets Marco look at him (not quite at him; he should know that look well enough considering how often he looks through people these days). He doesn't really meet Marco's gaze though. He just looks down at the sand.
"How? Well, who knows," he says with a shrug. He doesn't mean to push that explanation off on someone else, but ultimately, it's weird and difficult.
"Ymir — not the one you know, but the founder, the first titan — passed on this ability to anyone descended from her. Any of us could theoretically become titans, but you've seen how titans are. Mindless. Eating other people. Don't ask me why it's like that. There are nine titan shifters. Well…there are nine titan shifter powers. But I have three of them, so there's only seven of us right now."
He knows he's just kind of rambling; he's not good at cohesion when it comes to thoughts, to history, to overcoming his fury at the world and their circumstances.
"Anyway, it's not spontaneous. You won't just become a titan or anything. It's just we have the potential to do it because we're descended from Ymir."
no subject
Reiner must be one of them - he'd said something about his Titan. Bertolt, too, if he was talking about 'the hole he made'. Did that make Annie one as well?
He relaxes a little when Eren says it isn't spontaneous. That's reassuring, but he still feels sick to his stomach.
"So... however people become a Titan... do the Titans just eventually die?" Wouldn't that mean there's theoretically a finite amount of Titans, even as his stomach lurches at the thought of killing (former?) humans.
no subject
"…Not really. Regular titans, like the ones we've been fighting for a century, they never just die. They can just exist like that forever. But titans like me, we…"
There's still so much he hasn't said. Titans like him. Like Reiner. Like Armin, but he's not even sure he'll get to that.
"We have thirteen years to live from the time we become titans shifters."
He finally looks up.
"I don't want you to worry about that, though. I'm not going anywhere as long as I'm in this world. One of the leaders, Dawn, she said that the curse won't kill us. As long as we're here, we're…"
Free.
"…safe."
no subject
Yes, it's life or death against the Titans. Even if they're mindless monstrosities, they were still human once.
(Should he think of Reiner that way? Whatever he is, he was a child once.)
Thirteen years to live hits him in the chest next. He says Eren's name in shock, concern, stepping to the edge of the water where Eren is. Eren tells him not to worry - fat chance! - but follows it up by saying the leader of this place had said they were safe.
"Well - I guess I'd believe that. They got me, after all," He says, though the wry twist to his words isn't there, his face an expression of concern. Marco has the thought that they've just escaped one set of walls for another, and then immediately chides himself. He can think that, he's dead. But Eren isn't on a time limit here.
Marco's idealistic; he thinks there's some way to stop the Titans. But he's not so idealistic to think it'll come without a heavy cost.
He takes a deep breath, gaze flickering back to the ocean and returning to Eren. He could ask more questions but he decides he knows enough for now. He reaches down and takes Eren's hands in his own, giving them a squeeze.
"You know, you tell me not to worry but I'm still going to do it," he tells him with a small, sad smile. "But tell me something about here, something you like." A beat. "You can't use the ocean, you already showed me."
no subject
At least Marco doesn't actually ask Eren about that cost. Eren isn't likely to tell the whole truth; he rarely does, when talking about the future. It's not entirely about making himself look better. It's complicated, his reasoning. Part of it is that once you start lying, you just…keep doing it. He's more honest now than he was for awhile at home but the whole truth is contentious.
He looks down, surprised, but after a moment squeezes Marco's hands back. Right, Marco has no reason not to be the same as he always was. Casual touch is hard when you know your friend is a genocidal lunatic, but when you don't…apparently even with Eren acting weird, that's not a deterrent.
"I don't know if I really believe it, but…I want to. I'd like to have more than three years left."
At home it would be even less; he's already older here than he will ever be there. If only that ever stopped the weird time confusion in his head.
"Something I like…" he muses. Huh. What does he like? There are things, but put on the spot, he's not even sure what to say…oh.
"Well…I like flying," he says. He'll just wait for a reaction before he tries explaining.
no subject
But Marco's had enough of the heavy stuff, of wondering why Eren hasn't smiled the entire time they've been talking. He waits for Eren's answer.
It's not what he expects.
"Flying?" He repeats with a confused expression. "Like with.. the ODM gear?"
no subject
or some weird memory share thing gone wrong, whatever. For now, Eren is just thankful he doesn't push to learn more.He shakes his head.
"No. Like in the air. Like…in a boat, but it goes through the air."
Literally, an air ship, right? Of course it's an unimaginable thing if you haven't seen it. But flying feels a lot like freedom to Eren.
did jean tags and now i think everyone needs to say 'ehhh' before their dialogue
That's all Marco can think to compare it to. Either way, it sounds amazing - he can't even begin to imagine what it looks like or how it works.
"Do they have those here? Can we try one?"
why wouldn't i used a pirate icon for this
"I can fly one," he answers. "So...sure, we can try one."
Eren isn't the world's best pilot or anything but he knows enough to not get them into danger or dead. He enjoys Marco's enjoyment, even if he still doesn't smile himself. He fields whatever questions Marco has as much as he can, though his technical expertise is severely lacking and sometimes all he can do is shrug. It's a good way to see the city from the air though!