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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.
shhhhh
she removes the delicate lace obscuring part of her face, tucking it away carefully in the pocket of her dress. her footsteps are quiet as she steps up to the railing next to him, treading lightly as if to avoid leaving any sort of imprint that she was there at all behind. ]
A little. [ she is unaware of his surname, but the wolf ears and tail do seem to suit him. if he'd left his mask on, he'd be no different from another skilled stalker back in krat, lingering in the shadows until it was time to strike. ] Thankfully, it's a lovely evening out tonight.
[ it comes off as a throwaway phrase, the kind of thing people say to fill the silence. but there is a simple joy in tipping one's face up into the night breeze, to feel the cool caress on one's skin. it's colored with his cigarette smoke, but she doesn't seem to mind. ]
okok
( since when are you so mindful of where your smoke goes, good sir. sometimes you'd blow it directly into meryl's face if she complained about the smell too much.
at least it always got a laugh out of the old man. )
he watches her again as she makes her way over, observant of the careful way she places her steps — someone used to not wanting to leave traces of where she's been, he thinks, and that makes him curious about her — and he waits until she's answered his question to think about speaking up again, because smalltalk might be just that, but that doesn't mean it has to be meaningless.
not that he's ever cared for it himself, or even been very good at it, but something about her makes him want to try. ) Sounds like you're not really used to that kinda thing. ( another pull from his cigarette, long and slow, and an equally slow exhale. ) Looks like it, too. ( hey, sir. those powers of observation don't have to be on point all the time, do they? )
no subject
Mm, it’s… [ there’s an ache in her chest; the phantom pain of being held in that room for so long, trapped within her own body and blind to the passage of time. ] It’s been a while.
[ so yes, she’s not really used to that kind of thing: the quietness that comes from a peaceful night rather than a desolate one; of sharing space with another and interacting, not for any specific reason, but simply for the sake of it. she didn’t realize how lonely she’d been, unseen and unheard, until this very moment. ]
And you, mister Wolf? [ an attempt to shift the focus from her, or maybe she’s just that curious. the latter may be more accurate than the former. ] Has it been some time for you?
no subject
it's been a while, she says, and even before her question comes his thoughts meander back to his time spent within that cell, left alone to his own devices ( which hadn't worked out all that well for him in the end, had it? ) and remembering the life, the people he'd left back at hopeland. before livio had shown up willing to give himself over in his brother's place.
damn it, liv.
he takes one last drag on his cigarette and bends to snuff the butt out on the bottom of his shoe, storing the butt in an inside pocket of his jacket. he doesn't even want to think about the earful vash would give him if he heard he'd just tossed it somewhere willy-nilly. ) Wolfwood. ( he gives over with a bit of a chuckle; he'd almost forgotten the stupid ears and tail. ) Don't get to see a whole lotta pretty skies when you're in a cell. ( he tips his face upward; it already seems like a lifetime ago, and he's been away from it for long enough that it shouldn't really matter — but when you're forced to grow up as fast as he had been, there are certain things you're never going to forget. )
Guess it makes y'appreciate 'em more when you do see 'em.
no subject
[ it’s certainly fitting, and maybe it could be argued that it’s a little too on the nose, but she likes it, how it sounds; the image of it juxtaposed against the man himself. she hasn’t met anyone in a long time anyway, and for as simple as this impromptu meeting is, she’s already cherishing it, hoping it can be the first of many more. ]
I understand.
[ her expression softens, gaze lingering on the lights below them. a dark cell or a beautiful room trimmed with red velvet—a cage is a cage, no matter what form it takes. and perhaps that’s all that’s waiting for him back in his home, wherever it may be, but be that as it may— ]
I’m glad you're able to see this one.
no subject
he'll think it, though, and he'll think for a handful of quiet seconds more before he follows up with: ) Nicholas, if you want. Or Nick. People I work with call me Wolfwood … sounds a little bit too formal for a stranger, yeah?
( dark brows draw themselves together when she says she understands, and it's true, a cage is a cage no matter what it looks like — and she doesn't look like the sort that deserves to be locked up, but then again he's under the impression that no one does, unless they've done the sort of wrong that merits it.
what sort of wrong could she have done?
one side of his mouth quirks gently upward. ) M'glad you are too. D'ya— ( he pauses, wondering if he should even ask that question, the quiet lilt of the music inside drifting outward and it's almost like he's just now realizing it's still playing, instead of having been going all this time. ) D'you at least remember what the sky looks like where you're from?
no subject
Okay, Nick. [ it rolls off the tongue rather nicely, doesn’t it? nick. nicholas wolfwood. ] I’m Sophia.
[ her family name means little here, far away from her home. but this is a new life, of sorts, a second chance; perhaps it’s for the better to let that go as well. it too, was another kind of cage. ]
I do. [ though her body was trapped in the tower, her spirit was not, even if her reach was limited. her smile turns wistful. ] For a long time, it was very dark… but I believe now it should be clear again. Back to the way it was.
[ even if she likely won’t be able to see it again. when she looks up at him again, the wistfulness from earlier is replaced with something sheepish. ]
I'm sorry. This is a little somber for a first meeting, isn't it?
no subject
hell, he'd been nico up until the eye of michael had come to collect him, hadn't he? that's something to think about, and nick is about as close to comfortable as he's going to feel getting any closer to that.
but then he's getting her name in return, sophia, and he doesn't think he's ever heard anything like it, but he decides he likes it immediately. ) Sophia. ( he parrots, the shape of it rolling around in his mouth, and … yeah, okay, he kind of likes that too. ) Nice t'meetcha, then. Now that we've gotten all the formal introductions outta the way.
( it's a new life for both of them, so to speak, isn't it? funny how that ends up happening.
he watches her carefully as she gives her answer, head tipped to the side in a clear indication that he's actually listening to what she's saying; without the mask and without his glasses to hide his eyes, his expression is very open — almost too vulnerable for his liking, really, but it's easy enough to ignore as she talks about how dark it used to be. and how it should be clear again. ) Where I'm from, high noon makes Hell look like a picnic. ( he thinks he's being funny, of course. ) Two suns, hottest damn things you've ever felt, and nights're colder than you could ever imagine. But it was always clear … ( he chews on the inside of his cheek for a second, thinking about the first time he'd seen the sky again in the open air instead of from behind a tiny window that he'd tried to make into an exit. )
… Crazy clear. ( he murmurs, almost as an afterthought to himself before he shakes his head to clear it. ) Somber ain't all that bad, but uh— ( he falls quiet, and he can hear the music calling to them again, suddenly struck with an impulse he can't quite ignore anymore. ) You wouldn't … wanna dance, would you? I'm not very good, but it's better than standin' out here twiddlin' our thumbs, right?
( sir you are embarrassing. )