TEST DRIVE MEME.

[futurologists]

A PIRATE'S LIFE FOR ME Welcome to the Viridian Sea, a rolling body of water populated by a small number of islands and an even greater number of pirates and merchant ships. Sailing, rum, and high-seas adventure is the name of the game for this mission: after the freshly-recruited volunteers (that's you!) are welcomed into Hathaway, they are sent via controlled interdimensional rift to deal with a certain pirate ship that has been causing a certain amount of trouble. The crew of Red Scream, a murderous band of Mako pirates, has been reaving a path of destruction through the sea, scuttling ships of merchants, civilians, and other pirate bands alike. They have also kidnapped a governor's daughter, asking an exorbitant ransom to return her at all, let alone alive. If this wasn't enough of a reason for Hathaway to intervene, Red Scream's current goal is firmly pointed at a legendary treasure buried in a crater somewhere in the Viridian Sea. Hathaway analysts have studied the crater and found that it was definitely caused by a temporal shard cast off from the Merging. And if Red Scream gets its hands on the shard, it'll be bad news. The crew of Little Squid has reached out to Hathaway for help reaching the treasure. The ship and crew are both small, but they are an optimistic and hardworking bunch, and are willing to equally split the treasure with Hathaway as a reward -- they just have to reach it first. ▸ PROMPTS Your mission is simple: reach the treasure before the Mako pirates. If you have the time, you can try and save the governor's daughter -- it's not why Hathaway has been hired, but her father will likely be grateful enough to grant a reward. ONE ▸ GOING ROGUE. High-seas adventure not your cup of tea? The tropical islands dotting the Viridian Sea are flush with distractions, including pirate havens replete with gambling, food, and liquor. It's a hedonist's paradise -- if you can avoid displeasing the heavily-armed locals. TWO ▸ LITTLE SQUID. Ever been on a brig before? The crew of Little Squid are happy to show you the ropes -- literally -- and teach you how to be a master seafarer in no time. The only food on board unfortunately consists of salted meat and hard bread, but there's plenty of rum to go around. Life on the seas is tough, especially during rough weather; unfortunately, they have no cure for seasickness, so if you're afflicted, you might want to head below decks and wait it out. But the view during calm waters is unlike anything else. THREE ▸ RED SCREAM. It was bound to happen: Little Squid runs smack dab into Red Scream on the race to the treasure. Board the enemy ship or wait for them to come to you, but either way, you'd better be ready for some close-quarters combat. The Mako pirates of Red Scream are humanoid sharks with teeth to match, so in addition to their cutlasses and blunderbusses, you'll want to avoid being bitten. If fighting isn't your specialty, you could always hide below decks of Little Squid and hope you don't get noticed. Or, if you're feeling bold, you can board Red Scream and look for the governor's daughter, who is being kept in the captain's quarters -- she's about six years old and ready to fight, so get ready to have your hands full. FOUR ▸ THE TREASURE. Finally, Little Squid reaches the island where the treasure is. There are caves throughout the island where more standard pirate treasure is found -- gold doubloons in rotted old chests and the like -- but there's also a massive crater formed where the temporal shard plummeted to the surface. The crater is a wide hole with sheer walls, so you'd better find someone who can fly or brush up on your spelunking skills. The further down you go into the crater, the darker it gets, but somewhere on the bottom an eerie blue light is glowing. The source is the temporal shard: make your way through a winding tunnel system to find it and retrieve it. But beware -- the shard has attracted temporal insects, ravenous, time-eating bugs that can slow or hasten the flow of time just due to their appetite. Find yourself in their presence and you'll be moving in slow motion or you'll suddenly be aged 50 years. The only way to stop the effects are to kill the bugs and retrieve the shard. FIVE ▸ CHIT-CHAT. It's your standard network option. Maybe you've got a little downtime and you're bored. Or maybe you got lost in the caves and you think you saw a g-g-ghost pirate. Maybe you're just trying to figure out how the hell this magical jewelry thing works! No matter what, you get one username to identify you and one only -- if you don't enter one, it will default to your real name (for example, Voldemort's would be tomriddle.) Choose wisely... or make it assfarts69, if that's your thing. More information on the jewelcomms can be found on the devices guide. SIX ▸ WILDCARD. Do whatever the heck you want! Explore the jungles and waterfalls of the islands, have a party on the beach, try to befriend a dolphin. The world is your oyster. ▸ OOC NOTES Welcome to the first test drive meme of Futurology Season 2! Because the season hasn't started yet, this test drive is meant to be a mini-mission, similar in feel to the missions we have in-game but on a much smaller scale. Since no characters currently have official specializations, we also have no specialized prompts, but plan to in the future. However, feel free to play as if your character is level 1 of whichever specialization you would like to choose. Please be aware this test drive is game canon. Questions about the game can be directed to the FAQ. If you've been with us before, you might notice things look a little different around here. Make sure you check out the welcome page for the basic rundown of how your character joined up with Hathaway. For further information about the game, the full navigation has all the links you'll need. Apps will reopen to the public on 6 January, with early apps for returning characters opening on 4 January. Apps will close when we reach our 60-player cap or on 15 January, whichever happens first. We hope to see you then!

Comments

Adrian "Alucard" Ţepeş | Castlevania

[reposing]

I. ☙ LITTLE SQUID

[Although it wasn't long ago, it almost feels like an eternity since the last time he'd been on the sea. It givens an illusion of tranquility; the crisp sound of the waves against the hull, the sound of birds in the distance, the scent of saltwater in the air. It can be perilous to sail, but right now there is a calm.

One might note that Alucard primarily chooses to emerge at night, willingly taking the watch at the late hours. Yet, he does not appear to sleep either, so the question of what he does during the day seems to go unanswered for now. For this evening, he gazes out after making his rounds, studying the horizon. No matter how dark it is, it does not hinder his eyesight.

A nocturnal predator indeed.

Should he see you, he arches a slender brow, musing gently:] You're up rather late. Is this your shift as well?


II. ☙ RED SCREAM

[There's certainly no room for bargaining.

Though Alucard admits quietly to himself that he didn't know what to exactly anticipate from the crew of the Red Scream, seeing several who are essentially monstrous shark people should not surprise him so. They are fierce warriors, something to respect.

It does not mean they get to live, though.

With a graceful sweep of his hand, Alucard draws out his incredibly long blade. Despite its length, he treats it like a rapier, moving quickly and elegantly as he sweeps into the fight, slicing off one pirate's arm before turning around to take out another's prosthetic leg to throw him off balance.]

a: [One pirate takes his sword, snarling and impaling Alucard through the torso, pinning him to the floor. While it'd be normally a lethal blow for any normal man, Alucard glares up and hisses, baring his fangs as works to regain this fight. Perhaps now's a good time to assist him?]

b: [Should you be in peril of a mighty shark bite, Alucard moves with ridiculous speed to get in the way, grunting and steeling himself against the sheer strength of the pirate's jaws and the fangs tearing through his flesh. It seems like the pirate has the upperhand -- until Alucard swipes up cleanly with his sword, beheading the pirate.

Alucard sinks to one knee, frowning to himself as he works to open the jaw to get the head to stop biting him. Not once does he decide to share a word with you, even though he'd abruptly gone to your rescue.]


III. ☙ NETWORK; UN: ALUCARD

I've a favor to ask, if someone is amendable. Preferably, if you are in good health and eat reasonably well, though I know the latter might be much to ask during our time out on sea.

I will be glad to explain myself in a following conversation. Thank you.

IV. ☙ WILDCARD

[Please feel welcome to make your own prompt, or ask me for a personalized one.]

iii. un: fiona

[cachemoney]

Usually when you ask for a favor, you explain what you're asking first.

[reposing]

I would much rather get an idea of who I speak with before imparting such information.

I do not ask a light thing.

2b

[totallywhipped]

[Not once in his life did Trevor Belmont ever imagine he wasn't drunk enough to deal with something.

He is certainly not drunk enough to deal with this level of... everything.]

I had it!

[Is all Trevor could even manage to say before he starts to rush in. Consecrated whips can only do so much when they only slice and not wreak holy and divine terror upon these clearly unhellish beasts.

Trevor moves with an impressive speed of his own, but nothing quite so impressive as vampire Jesus over there. The very tip of the whip cracks just loud enough, slices down the nose of the shark and draws a massive amount of blood.]

Move!

[Because he's already getting to work on tripping up the pirate with another crack of his whip. Try not to get caught.]

[reposing]

Clearly.

[The word is drawled flatly as Alucard finally shoves off the head of the pirate, growling as torn flesh begins to regenerate. He doesn't doubt Trevor's skills; far from it, but he definitely needs to be sure to keep him alive.

Despite his healing injuries, he pushes himself back up and moves smoothly, avoiding the flail of Belmont's whip through the air. It's much simpler when it's not aimed at him.

Toward the pirate that Trevor's pulled over, Alucard goes in for the killing blow, stabbing the downed foe in the skull with his sword.]

Don't get yourself killed, Belmont.

one

[bestaround]

[ On his end, riding on a boat like this feels so... archaic, but it's 9S' first experience sailing the seas in this manner, so he takes the experience in stride. (However necessarily long and slow it may be, it's no wonder engines became such a necessity in the world he originates from.) He'll admit it is tranquil as well, and the nighttime sky is still a novelty to 9S; having come from an Earth that no longer turns as it should, he's never actually seen a blackened sky with dotted stars planetside. It's a lot more beautiful than he would have imagined, if he had to be honest.

So it's a lot of the reason why he's out along the deck this night. 9S ventures slowly across the deck, taking the atmosphere in as the thick soles of his boots lightly thud against creaky wood with every step. While he's aware of the few bodies still awake and about, he hadn't expected to be spoken up to, if the way he snaps his head upward is anything to go by. ]

—Huh? Oh, I... guess I am. [ They aren't the most confident words spoken; 9S has gradually learned that nighttime is typically when most sleep—every night, even—yet "being up late" is still an odd concept to take in. ] The other guy seemed exhausted, so I thought I'd take over. Looked like he needed the rest.

[reposing]

[There's a pause as Alucard gazes over 9S, his expression curious, as if he's trying to piece something together. He inhales deeply through his nose, then exhales after a moment, as if that is enough.

Then, he picks up the conversation as if there'd been hardly a pause.]

That is considerate of you. Though I imagine you do not tire easily as some might?

un: ginko

[tenthousandmiles]

[Well, this is interesting...]

hm, i would say i'm in relatively good health, if i can be of assistance

[reposing]

I would appreciate that.

If it isn't rude to ask, what is your age?

iii, un: LISSA

[healstaffs]

how well is reasonably well...

[ LOOK she just really....likes cake.....who can be blamed!! ]

[reposing]

I would not be so rude as to inquire upon your dietary preferences, but I may ask if you habitually drink or take in other toxins of some kind. I know many have a vice, but I would prefer to have an idea before I make my request.

iii, un: lodge

[refashioned]

You sound like an insurance salesman trying to make certain you don't offer coverage to the wrong type of people.

You realize that, right?

[reposing]

I don't believe the euphemism works well for me, but I think I understand what you're trying to say.

I know it appears suspicious, but I am afraid that due to the nature of the subject matter, it is a matter of being equal parts understanding a person's general health and my own privacy before I make my request. That said, I would not expect you to lead into an offer.

Unless you simply want to sate your curiosity.

I because there's no IIII

[fourscores]

[The smell of the sea, it reminds him of right before he was taken off Runeterra. He has to wonder if it was the right choice, choosing to stick around on the team, rather than returning home and completing his mission in Zaun. Tch, the council could wait, but could he? It'd been months since his last proper performance. Great for being less of a monster, less of- absolutely terrible for his compulsion.

Jhin sighs, running a hand through his hair as he focuses on his breathing. One, two, three, four. Four deep breaths and he heads up from below deck, some air will do him good. Humming a quiet tune helps keep him grounded, focus on this mission. Focus.]

Hm?

[He glances over at the man, offering a slight shake of his head.]

No. I just never did sleep well in groups.

[It's not quite the truth, but it's far from a lie. It's not that, even after a year being part of a team, he doesn't trust anyone... It's just that he doesn't trust anyone.]

[reposing]

[Softly, Alucard chuckles, turning his head a little more to look over Jhin. He shrugs with one shoulder.]

That is understandable. Working in a team as large as this just as unusual for me. If I were required to sleep more frequently than I do, I don't know that I could.

I will not hound you with conversation, but I welcome your company.

I

[diamondhack]

[Isha had thought she was mostly alone. Most had gone to sleep, save for the few that had shifts.

Of course, she came and went as she pleased. As much as she loved her beauty sleep, she sometimes kept to a "you can sleep when you're dead" schedule. Happens to the best and the brightest.

Q, her mechanical greyhound, sharply stares down the stranger, or what could pass for staring from a robotic beast. She simply glances in his direction, mildly startled by the sudden presence yet hiding her emotions, as always.

Isha only shrugs.]

It's my "whatever I want to do" shift. I spent too much of the day sleeping off the storms.

[Which is both true and untrue.]

[reposing]

[The machine briefly catches his attention, but he gives no real comment to it. The enormous lycanthrope beasts that he's encountered would arguably be more intimidating by appearances alone. A machine is curious, but not fear inspiring.

His golden eyes draw back up to the woman, then his lips twitch, not quite smiling.]

Respectable. Were the storms upsetting, or simply at a loss of what else to do?

iii, un: mercy

[facilitate]

This is terribly cryptic of you. And you won't offer any more of what you're looking for via this network?

[reposing]

Not so publicly, no.

un: sieglindesullivan

[grunehexe]

[This is exactly the sort of message Sieglinde had been cautioned against responding to by... most everyone, but she's far too curious not to.]

I am the picture of health, with a very fitting diet not impacted by our current naval situation thanks to my forethought to bring along extra supplies.

2B

[brictom]

[ The crew of the Red Scream is nearly as monstrous as her visions of the Northmen. So insistent to take on a hoard of her own, Senua seemed to miscalculate with what she could handle on her own. He moves so quickly, Senua is half-wondering if he is another figure that emerged from the darkness. There is no being that can move that fast and it is nearly as frightening as these figures that board the ship.

She's never seen a shark in her life up until this point and to her, they're monsters. Senua has barely spoken a word to anyone on this ship, so the silence is fine by her. But not the fact that he has just swooped in to help her, only to be bitten by one of these creatures. She turns back, cleaving her sword through the body of a pirate to by time and then glances back.

That has to be painful, doesn't it? Once she buys time and has sufficient enough space, she sheathes her sword and decides to return the favor, quickly drawing to his side and begins to pull the shark's top jaw off of his arm, nearly working her fingers into it's mouth. ]

un: butterfly

[digophelia]

Our missions make it difficult sometimes to stay healthy and eat full meals, actually. Why, are you injured? Or were you looking for assistance cooking? I would be able to help with the latter.

iii, un: beloved

[dailydouble]

Will the favor leave one of sound mind and body after completing it?

[ Good health and eating well is not the most comfortable combination. ]

iii, un: pryan

[shittalk]

I haven't eaten anything but cheetos in three years, but hey I'm all yours. Unless the favor is cooking tips? On your own there.

un: zaryanova

[flexing]

You are in luck, I am very much both of these things you seek! What is it you need?