futurologists: (Default)
Hathaway. ([personal profile] futurologists) wrote in [community profile] thirstology2016-06-26 09:15 pm
Entry tags:

TEST DRIVE MEME #4.

test drive 4.0


The world has shifted. Or maybe you’ve shifted? Either way, things have changed, and it’s going to be quite a while before you see them change back again.

BASICS

You were going about your business as usual until the world went white around you, and went the fog cleared: Oska. You’ve arrived in a snag of reality between worlds, the full extent of which can be read about here. But in essence, you’ve arrived in a grand, magical, almost empty castle. Outside the castle is an empty, long-abandoned village, partially in ruin. Past that, the world simply fades out into white mist. Your best bet is probably to stick to the castle and its grounds.

Suits of armor patrol the quiet hallways, but good luck getting them to speak or answer any questions. There’s absolutely nothing inside them, they move under their own power. They don’t talk, but they also go out of their way not to hurt you. You can even attack one, it will just patiently wait for you to give up and leave. If, however, you ask one for directions, it will dutifully turn and lead the way to wherever you’ve requested.

Librarians lurk in the halls of the enormous, well-stocked library, in which you can find nearly any book from nearly any world. The librarians are tall, wide, and very muscular, but they’re also not out to hurt you. Provided you play nice, of course. The usual rules apply: be respectful of the books, keep your voice lowered, and never bring any source of flame into the library. That last one might make the librarians reconsider their nonviolent natures.

Outside, there's a greenhouse with every type of flora you can imagine (and more, since they're from all over the universe) — be careful, though, because not all of them are friendly. If you'd like to take a dip, you can check out the lake; just be friendly to the fish. You can catch sight of almost any animal you'd like in the stables, real-world or fantasy. Most of them have been tamed, and won't do any real harm. However, some of them can be a bit testy. Stay away from the unicorns unless you have perfect manners — they hate impoliteness.

Current characters in game can assume that the Timeline glitched and sent them temporarily back to Oska. You are welcome to take any threads that happen here as game canon, should both parties arrive in game. Threads done here by prospective players may be used as application samples, and threads done by current players may be used as Bonus AC.

PROMPTS

ONE ✗ THE KITCHEN
The kitchen is always stocked with food, freshly cooked and ready to be eaten — although there was no one to do the cooking, and it might just be you to do the eating. That doesn’t seem to discourage the kitchen in the slightest, which is constantly churning out new, fresh courses. Some of them are more innocent than others today.

That tart you just ate? It was harpfruit, native to Cendiares, and has a pesky side effect of making the eater blurt out everything that pops into their head. The completely average-looking salad actually has flakes of Raphian wildflowers, which cause a bit of dancing fever — it isn't contagious, but it does make the sufferer want to dance with everyone they can. The choices and effects are endless and up to you, and don't worry; ALASTAIR is working on getting the kitchen under control as we speak.

TWO ✗ THE TRAINING CENTER
Maybe you find your way into the Training Center. A lot of work went into setting this room up, and it can construct nearly any scenario that you can imagine. All it takes to activate this room, still and featureless until it comes to life, is the brush of a finger against one of the glowing pads on the wall. The magitek will take it from there.

Just envision the setting and any enemies you’d like to train against, and they’ll instantly materialize. Would you rather go sightseeing, without worrying about a fight? No problem! The room is eager to provide you with a sparring partner, but it can be convinced to hold off -- just don’t think of getting into any fights. The Training Center also offers any games you can think of: soccer, basketball, literal freeze tag, etc. Every supply you need will be simulated for you.

Additionally, the following scenarios are also preloaded into the system for user convenience, each coming with a small summary of mission objectives:

ANWICK: A ruined little village with a massive, dead dragon skewered in the center of it. The goal is to protect her young in a nearby cave. The terrain is treacherous, the wyrmlings are squirmy and unhelpful, and the townsfolk are furious. But for good reason -- it seems dragons have been plaguing them for decades. Even the simulation’s enemies are programmed to say as much, and will do their best to convince you to their side.

CHANTES: Chantes, the previous mission world, is a typical medieval town cloaked in darkness and surrounded by a winding forest. It comes in two default flavors and difficulty settings. Fairies are the easier enemy; the objective is to collect three jars of unpleasant, glowing sap from their nests without getting your eyes poked out. The fairy goop can also cause disturbances with magical powers, unwanted levitation, and unfortunate cosmetic effects.

Demons are the more difficult setting. The task is to clear ominous runes off of various town structures, but when approached, each one releases a red, misty spirit. It will fight tooth and nail to protect its ‘home,’ but is largely invulnerable short of destroying its rune. To prevent this, it may resort to spells, violence, and possessing someone else in the simulation -- consider this a lesson in PvP. (NOTE: You’re also welcome to use anything from the previous events from Chantes as well.)

OSKA TRAINING: The goal in this simulation is simple: outlast the timer. It’s exactly the same castle, but after it’s been pelted by a firestorm, architecture ruined to rubble and ash. Navigating the half-destroyed castle is hard enough, and the earthquakes and fireballs raining from the sky will continue until characters survive for a certain amount of time (from an hour to a day) or find a full bushel’s worth of food. And just to rub salt in the wound, all the dirt, grime, and mud in this simulation will last outside of it, so you might need a shower after.

NALAWI: An island nation populated by diminutive deer people. The first setting is a mini version of the Gilligan's Island event -- it's less action-packed and more focused on survival. Marooned on the drowned island of Dakal, it's up to you to figure out where to find food and shelter. You might also want to avoid the hungry sea creatures that have made their way up on the island, too.

The second setting involves lava monsters erupting out of Nalalona, the largest volcano on the Nalawi islands. Lava imps will do their best to hypnotize recruits into following them back into the volcano, and can be defeated the normal way or non-violently lured into the water. Next comes the fire golems, hulking but fast. Their weak spot is their glowing core, but it will require some cleverness to reach. (NOTE: You're welcome to use any scenarios based on other Nalawi events as well!)

THREE ✗ HOT SPRINGS EPISODE
One of ALASTAIR's teams extracted an enormous, very hot core from a sentient and murderous AI. What better way to put it to use than to heat up the springs? It's a nice place to get some much needed R&R or just hang out. Some enterprising recruits have built wooden decks and stairs around and through the whole affair. It's a little bit of a hike to get there from the castle, but anyone who has visited can agree: it's worth it.

FOUR ✗ THE NETWORK
There is some good news, along with all these bizarre and fantastical new sights: you’ve arrived with a new piece of jewelry which, if examined, gives you access to anyone else that might be currently inhabiting Oska. You can speak into the jewelry and be heard, you can get it to project moving images of yourself and others, you can even think a message into it and have it arrive as written word to whoever you’re communicating with. It’s a useful little trinket, provided you can get it to work.

FIVE ✗ CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE
You are free to use any of these settings, or anything from the Settings Page. You may use any virtually created setting you can think of in the Training Center, even scenes from your character’s world (although they’ll be devoid of people, unless they’re brought in as opponents).
forcevisions: (of his best friend's ride)

wait what was that last part

[personal profile] forcevisions 2016-07-01 08:48 pm (UTC)(link)
And put it in a kitchen where we'd eat it?

[ Rey made no secret of her ensuing scoff, but when she folded her arms under her chest right after, it at last made it apparent that she wouldn't go for her quarterstaff to bludgeon him over the head with it. So, you know, comparatively successful encounter. ]

That's the stupid idea I've ever heard.

[ Well, maybe. ]

How are we supposed to find anything to eat without wondering if it's some mine from an universe on the brink of apocalypse?

[ This is just offensive. She starts rifling through cupboards now because girl is a starving orphan leave her alone. ]
competing: (Default)

what :) :) i said nothing :) also sorry for the wait also i don't have the proper icons for this fml

[personal profile] competing 2016-07-07 02:57 pm (UTC)(link)
[ lance, for his part, takes it all in stride. but it's probably because he isn't being forced to voice out all his thoughts as he thinks them (though when it that any different from his usual self anyway?).

he purses his lips together and considers it, one arm folding over his torso while the other idly taps at his chin. ]


Considering there's so many of us from different universes, it's probably safe to assume that they assumed any one of us might be able to handle it. [ then again, unlike rey, he'd really rather not want to think their hosts have malicious intents...

that said, it definitely could have been worse. probably best to just move on?! and so he does, moving to one of the many refrigerator-looking things, peeking in... ]


—oh man! No way!

[ excitedly, lance turns to rey with a wide, boyish grin, grabbing a brightly-colored box from the ice box to brandish it high over his head. BEHOLD, REY, THE FOOD OF HIS PEOPLE— ]

They got corn dogs!
forcevisions: (hanging out the passenger side)

no sweat take your time! also are you planning to app you should def app

[personal profile] forcevisions 2016-07-08 06:17 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Everything else they'd discussed got swept up into his enthusiasm, mounting in her absolute bafflement. ]

Whatever you've been eating must have sorely damaged your attention span.

[ But with that said, she turned her attention to the box he'd scrambled up, and though she reached up to swipe it from him, she found that she wasn't quite tall enough. Settling back on her heels, she crossed her arms over her chest with something stubborn enough to look sour about that fact. ]

What's a corn dog?!
competing: (Default)

ah blushes that's the plan! i didn't expect to have so much fun with this trash son weeps

[personal profile] competing 2016-07-10 08:31 pm (UTC)(link)
[ hold up hold up hOLD UP

lance is looking at rey now as if she'd just said something horrendous. something terrible. something that would encourage the kind of AGONY and DESPAIR that poets like poe and plath would go crazy about, y'know?

slowly, his look of horror settles into something solemn. no — sympathetic. he lowers his arms, too, head bobbing in a resolute kind of nod. the kind of nod that gets shit done.

it has been decided. ]


Don't worry, bright eyes. You'll know soon.

[ never mind that she kind of sort of insulted him just now. but then again, this probably only further proves her words...

oh well! time to strap on an apron and get to work, huh! though luckily these are just the microwave kind, heh. ]
forcevisions: (or between the sheets)

the perpetual problem w trash tbh

[personal profile] forcevisions 2016-07-18 12:41 am (UTC)(link)
[ Frozen in place by her confusion at his over-the-top reaction, Rey moves nothing but her eyes as she tracks him in his movements to begin cooking the corn dogs. There's unease there, but mostly the kind that seems to assert— ]

You're mad.

[ That, she decides, is the only explanation for it. Luckily, though, there seems to be a lag picking up in the after-effects of the fruit she'd eaten, which she hopes means it's wearing off. Some thoughts she's even managing to keep to herself. ]

Are you sure they're even edible? [ Compared to what she just ate, that is. ]