Ｈａｔｈａｗａｙ. (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
futurologists) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
thirstology2018-04-01 12:05 am
futurologists) wrote in thirstology2018-04-01 12:05 am
Entry tags:
TEST DRIVE MEME
FANTASTIC MR. FOX  Welcome to Azeria, a small single-biome planet covered almost entirely by deep, mossy forests. The natives of Azeria, a sapient foxlike species called Vulphytes, have reached out to Hathaway for help in repelling a planetary invasion. Other Vulphyte tribes have sent word of dangerous aliens descending in silver machines and laying waste to the forest, killing and capturing Vulphytes and animals in their wake. Hathaway analysts have calculated that the Merging is to blame for this sudden invasion; before, these two nearly identical universes didn't see each other, but now that they are one, these strangers are suddenly planetary neighbors. The aliens, seeing a new planet, must be searching for colonization prospects, while the Vulphytes are helpless against their spacefaring weaponry. ▸ FOR NEW VOLUNTEERS.On greeting the Hathaway agents, the Vulphytes will initially be very awkward and surprised, or as awkward and surprised as sapient foxes can appear. The Vulphytes speak telepathically, and eventually a spokesfox explains the cause of their discomfort: the invading aliens are humans, just like most of you. ▸ PROMPTS Your mission is simple: protect the Vulphytes, forests, and native animals from the invading humans. It's not necessary to kill all the invaders (unless you want to), simply keep them from taking the planet for their own and do a good enough job to persuade them never to come back. Of course, the invaders are a bit... forceful in their methods, so it's up to you.   The Vulphytes live in a cluster of burrows which are unfortunately not large enough for anything human-sized to visit, but the presence of non-aggressive aliens (that's you!) is enough to get the majority of them to pop out and curiously observe. The Vulphytes are variably black, grey, or red, with fur transitioning to moss along their backs; animals you might see in the forest, including deer, rabbits, and owls, have a similarly moss-covered look. The Vulphytes will take awhile to warm up to anyone who is human (or those who visibly look human), their telepathic tones suspicious as they ask questions about their loyalties, where they're from, and what their homeworlds are like. Those who are clearly not human will receive a much warmer reception, the Vulphytes asking curious questions and the Vulphyte kits trailing behind in fuzzy little rows. When the invaders' silver machines -- spaceships -- become visible in the sky, through breaks in the tree canopy, the Vulphytes look skyward and begin to howl. It's a pre-battle ritual, one of them explains, and characters are invited to join in: howl to the sky, to your enemies, and get ready to fight. TWO ▸ THE INVASION. The silver spaceships of the invaders crash down through the trees, sending animals fleeing in all directions. The Vulphytes stay put, snarling in the direction of the noise and waiting for the invaders to come to them. If you'd like, you can rush forward and head them off -- or stay and fight alongside the foxes. Just as the Vulphytes claimed, the invaders are human. They are dressed in armored space suits, the visors on their helmets obscuring their faces and reflecting the forest all around. Their weapons are various types of laser guns, though a few are holding axes that have laser blades, which they use to start chopping down trees as their compatriots march toward the Vulphyte dens. The invaders are surprised to see people here, but they're not interested in talking: they open fire on anyone they see, not recognizing any of the recruits as their people and thus pegging them immediately as enemies. Though they're aggressive, they're not suicidal; if a single invader encounters too much violence or are outnumbered, they'll run back to their compatriots for reinforcements, so it's best to dispatch them quickly (or prevent them for running for help in some other way). Once the invaders reach the Vulphyte dens, the foxes fight viciously, swarming individuals in a flurry of claws and snarling teeth. Kill the invaders or simply give them enough trouble to make them retreat for good, it's up to you. But either way, look after your furry/mossy hosts; despite their telepathic way of communication, the Vulphytes don't possess any magical abilities, so they'll need to be looked after in the face of laser weapons. THREE ▸ BABYSITTER'S CLUB. The baby Vulphytes are in the greatest amount of danger from the invading humans, being entirely unable to defend themselves and uncertain of what's actually going on. Hathaway has been tasked with rescuing them from their dens and whisking them away to safer areas away from the fighting where they can be cared for until the fighting is over. The only problem is that baby Vulphytes are... well, babies. They're quite upset by all the ruckus, yowling in a way that resembles crying, and aren't exactly happy to be taken away by strangers they don't know. In fact, some of them might try to make a great escape, so you'd better be quick! Those who make it to a safe area will need consoling and, once that's done, entertainment. They'll also need their caretakers to make sure no invaders sneak up on them -- since some are hidden in the woods. It's a big job, but you can handle it, right? FOUR ▸ VICTORY CELEBRATIONS. Once the invaders are finally chased off, everyone gathers together to celebrate. The Vulphytes bow (as well as a fox can) as the team enters and apologize for their uncertainty before; they see now that many of you are nothing like the aliens who threatened them, despite your similar looks. They'd like you all to stay and celebrate, if you have time. The celebrations are... a bit different than most might be used to; it's definitely not a human party. There are games with handmade balls of packed moss, which the Vulphytes seem to love. In fact, they go crazy for Fetch, a game they were never introduced to before due to their tragic lack of opposable thumbs. They "sing" for the team in howls, a rare example of adults not communicating telepathically. As for the team, they receive a congratulatory message from Imogen on their magitek suggesting they take the rest of the celebration to meet and greet with the unfamiliar faces. There won't be much time to do so back at Headquarters, I'm afraid, she adds. Drakstaden awaits, darlings! FIVE ▸ CHIT-CHAT. It's your standard network option. Make battle plans, chat about how cute the foxes are, or share good hiding places. 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! Go pick wildflowers. Climb a tree. Hunt animals. Loot innocent fox dens, you monster. The world is your oyster. ▸ OOC NOTES Welcome to the second test drive meme of Futurology Season 2! This test drive will function as an optional mini-mission for both new and current characters, similar in feel to the missions we have in-game but on a much smaller scale. Threads on this test drive are game canon by default unless one of the participants would like to retcon it. Current characters may use TDM threads for non-!plot AC proofs. Both test drivers and current characters are welcome to top level! While current characters are allowed to tag other current characters, we ask that you please make an effort to be welcoming to test drivers as well! Since incoming characters currently don't have official specializations, we have no specialized prompts. However, feel free to play as if your character is level 1 of whichever specialization you would like to choose. Questions about the game in general 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. ▸ Upcoming Events (Futurology runs on timezone UTC): |
no subject
When the attack had started, perhaps he'd run over to this man because he'd caught sight of the long, pale hair. It was something of a natural association; this man was certainly not Zero, but ingrained instincts in a very young creature run deep.]
I - okay! [Mikhail seems heartened by the sudden enthusiasm, remaining still and allowing him to clamber along the makeshift path the scales and muscles of his wing provide for someone to get up onto his shoulders. The saddle and harness that the man finds there is passable: bloodstained, a bit lacking in straps and buckles, but with a horn to keep hold of while in flight.] Just hold on realll tight. I'll try to avoid anything too crazy. Just yell at me if you need me to give you some time to grab on better - woah!!
[This is when the first few lasers start coming their way, and Zaratras effortlessly parries one of them away with his sword. Mikhail's eyes are wide as he swings his head back to look at the man.] Wowww!
[And, oh, well, that makes sense, he guesses. He is a big dragon, after all.] That's okay. Let's just work together, Mister Zaratras! My name's Mikhail!
[There's a large group of shiny-armored soldiers charging at them through the trees some distance off: the original source of the laser blasts. Looking over in their direction, Mikhail can't help a low growl in his throat. Instinct, probably, even though he isn't really relishing the idea of tearing into them.] Okay, here we go! Let's drive 'em back!
[They were on the ground, so he doesn't plan on going too high. He starts off at a running start, jumping up and flapping his wings to get them off the ground, perhaps twenty or thirty feet in the air.] Deflect the beams and I can try to scare 'em off!
no subject
Neither he or Mikhail could contain their excitement much at all.] W-Wow! Hey, watch out! Make sure you can avoid blasts coming at you! [His hand reached down to grip the head of the saddle tightly, his gauntleted fist balled up like a vice. He noticed the stain of blood on it, a little more concern coming to mind. He didn't think it was a human's blood when he took note of Mikhail's sudden distraction.
He didn't really have time to think about it, though.
What he did manage to think about caught him off guard, though. The swift shamble he made getting onto Mikhail, the excitement of flying and the buzzing bolts of light being parried and avoided were all distracting him from the one thing that bothered him about it all.]
Wait--how old are you!? Are you a child??
[The child-like excitement that got him on the saddle suddenly caught up to him in the middle of deflecting more blasts, his sword pulsing with magical lightning.
At a time like that, in the middle of a battle on a dragon's back--Zaratras was thinking of his son.]
no subject
[He certainly does seem practiced at dodging the beams of energy sent their way, sometimes flapping the dead air beneath his wings a bit more to get them a little more elevation, other times swooping out of the way. He tries to keep most of his movements fairly predictable for the man on his back, so that he wouldn't get thrown too far one way or another. The fact that they were in the woods was definitely troublesome. There were so many trees he had to make sure he didn't run into, and the wind didn't really blow really well in here. It made the air still, a little hard to keep aloft in, but he's still feeling energetic at this point. They can do this!
Mikhail has just a moment to look over his shoulder, setting Zaratras in a bright, golden eye as he replies.] I'm a liiiittle over one year old!
[He turns back to the front with a soft,] o-woah! [and swerves to the right, out of the way of a few lasers that had been shot their way by a small squad taking cover behind a tree that had been felled onto its side. He begins to fly in that direction, hackles rising at the assault.]
Hey! Do you see them there, hiding behind that log? Can you blast 'em out?
[He'd usually do something about it, but... he's afraid of catching the forest on fire, if he starts shooting fireballs everywhere.]
no subject
Meliodas would get a kick out of witnessing that, wouldn't he?
Mikhail managed to dodge the next volley of blasts, prompting a grimace from Zaratras that deepened when he saw the perpetrators. Zaratras had been hesitant about using his lightning on the ground due to the risk of striking and igniting foliage but at the angle Mikhail took, he could see himself having no trouble directing it harmlessly into the soil.
Without hesitation, Zaratras lifted his sword and channeled lightning into the end of the sword, bringing it down on thin air.]
Good eye, Mikhail!
Thunder God's Hammer!
[A surge of lightning came down in the shape of a tidal wave, harmlessly bounding past Mikhail's wings and head before raining down on the invaders below who were raising their rifles to try and intercept the pair in the sky.
The impact was deafening, ending as quickly as it began. Unconscious men and women lay on the ground, scorched sections of stone and soil lifting up smoke. Zaratras watched carefully at first, his sword still readied. No one stood back up.]
no subject
Truth be told, he was interested to see what the stranger could do. He doesn't have much of an eye on what he does, but he does see the lightning arc over his own shoulder, striking the ground with the impact of an explosion.] Woah!! [Mikhail has to pull up a little bit, startled, and begins to angle his flight path to circle around in another direction.] That's... really cool!
[He gains elevation once more, keen eyes searching out for wherever else the assailants might be bunkering down against this new aerial threat. Currently there weren't many lasers being shot his way, but it wasn't much of a blessing because it meant he didn't know where they were hiding. Possibly setting some kind of ambush?]
Hey, Mister Zaratras? I don't see them anymore. Do you think they're hiding? How do we get them to come out?