riverview: test drive meme

[riverviewmod]

riverview test drive meme

Welcome to Riverview's first test drive meme! Feel free to dip your toes in on the test drive meme to try out your character in the setting, play out a mission, and get samples for your application at the same time!

● Reserves are currently OPEN.
● Applications open on March 1st.
● All threads on the test drive meme can count as game canon once the game is up and running.
● TDM threads do not count for Activity Check, but they do count for Activity Bonus Points.

Feel free to use the prompts below or create your own scenario. The setting is built to be flexible, so feel free to make things up as you go.

information resources
premise ● arrival ● setting ● ask a question ● navigation

prompt i: batten down the hatches

If the sky has seemed a little more yellow-green than usual for the past couple of days, there's a reason for that. Meteorologists have been warning of a particularly nasty storm blowing in from the direction of the Delta in the Southwestern part of the Abandoned City.

The Quarantine is about to be hit by a nasty typhoon, and there's a lot to be done. Whether you're helping sandbag the banks of the river, which is bound to be swollen by the storm and flooding, weatherproofing your building, or just huddling indoors for warmth and helping reassure your friends, family, or partner that everything will be okay, it's time to take action!

prompt ii: monster madness

There's been a lot of talk around the Quarantine about the various predators and monsters outside the fence, and how they've been getting steadily more active, crowding the fences, trying to leap over them, seemingly driven by some kind of mania. There have even been increasing instances of predators that normally mind their own business attacking the fences wholesale, slamming into it over and over as if they're trying to find a weakness.

The good news? The fences have been holding. So far.

The bad news? They won't be holding for much longer.

The Perimeter Guard is in a bad way, and it's all hands on deck. They've also sent out a few of the Perimeter Guard Cadets to post up flyers around the city asking for temporary help in fighting off the beasts. So pick up whatever weapon you're best with, hop onto a truck transport, and head on over to the fences to help drive off the monsters and keep the Quarantine safe.

prompt iii: hold your lover close

With a storm rolling in that's going to keep everyone indoors, that might cause power outages, and is just frankly pretty scary, a lot of the clubs, restaurants, and hotels are doing special events to keep everyone's brains occupied and flooded with endorphins.

There are flyers around the city advertising various couples activities: speed dating, dance classes, overnight pool parties, and all-expenses-paid lovers' nights in.

The catch? The great deals only count if you're a twosome. So if you don't have someone to love, hit up speed dating in the indoor courtyard of Riverview's largest mall, or grab the first person you see and take the opportunity.

prompt iv: solution

After a day or two of storm activity, things are definitely not getting better: the rain is torrential, the monsters are attacking with increased energy and decreased rest times, and the distractions are starting to wear thin. Power outages happen off and on, a very rare situation in Riverview Quarantine.

The government has put out an all-points-bulletin imploring anyone with an exploratory spirit to help.

From what government science techs can tell, the storm isn't natural - after all, even the meteorologists were saying that the pressure systems seemed extremely strange. They've managed to narrow the cause to an area in the delta where the storm seems to be originating from, and are broadcasting the general location so anyone with the guts can head out into the storm and try to find the source of it.

Any characters who decide to penetrate the jungle in search of the source will find a device in the shape of a pyramid, with glowing blue edges about a day's walk into the Abandoned City. The pyramid is a malfunctioning weather control device that is causing wild pressure fluctuations and causing the storm as well as making the animals in the jungle aggressive and erratic. Characters can destroy or deactivate the device to end the storm.

This mission can be threaded out however you would like, in groups however large you would like, and more than one team can accomplish the goal.

prompt v: wildcard/network

Whether you're looking for help with a mission or just want to get to know your fellow new arrivals, your character can make a post to the network.

Or you can choose your own adventure and do something else in the setting!

navigation

Comments

bryn zethir | original

[zethir]

[[ooc: app/history in progress here.]]

→ prompt i: batten down the hatches

[Bryn's not the sort to just sit inside and wait for the storm to blow over. Maybe once, she might have been when she was younger, but she's been through too much now to ever be the sort of woman to stand idly by while there's work to be done for the good of the community. Even if she hadn't intended to come to this community at all. While operations are already underway with the methodical moving and stacking of sandbags along the river, there are several buildings in the city that could use some weatherproofing as well.

Bryn, all 5'1" of her, takes it upon herself to start assisting some of the local businesses in weatherproofing their buildings. She's petite, but after her years in the military she's strong and knows how to pace herself. Armed with a two-wheeled cart, she starts stacking sandbags and takes them with her through the city, offering them to every business that seems to need a hand getting ready for the weather ahead.

After a couple of blocks of carting the sandbags around and lugging them into place, she stops in the street and reaches a hand up to wipe her brow. It's something of a workout, getting everything ready, but she understands the value of community effort which is why she does this without complaint. To no one in particular, she voices aloud:]

Anyone got a bottle of water or something on them?

→ prompt ii: monster madness

[She didn't want to be here. She wanted to be back home, safe within the borders of Askoupur. Oh, sure, she knew that if she were back in her own dimension, if she'd never been brought through the portal she'd still be tromping through the jungles of Rhevidjan, hoping to the deities that she wouldn't get caught by the enemy soldiers on her heels. It just doesn't change the fact that at least in that situation she'd only been miles from home. A definitive distance, one she could rationalize in her mind.

At least while she's here, she knows she can be useful. While she's waiting for a way to get home, it's easy to find a place for herself. The call goes out for help against monsters at the perimeter, and Bryn doesn't hesitate to gear up. She dresses, laces up her boots, and begins arming up. The dagger she straps to her thigh is more of a last resort than anything, but it's easier to get in place first than the belt around her waist that holds her kiirium pistol. The kiirium bangle at her wrist accounts for her sword, but she leaves it as it is, untransformed as she slips her worn leather jacket over everything. Assuming she won't need more than her weapons this close to the city, she heads out of community housing to find the nearest transport out.

Inside ten minutes she's seated in the back of a truck with others, looking out the window as they pull onto the road. When that ceases to hold her interest, she turns to the person sitting next to her.]

Haven't heard much about what's out there on the other side of the fences other than "monsters" and other nasty beasts. Heard anything different?

→ prompt iii: hold your lover close

[When it seems like everything's been done that can be done, Bryn has no issues settling somewhere inside for some down time. Rest and relaxation doesn't always mean curling up quietly or alone, however. Given a choice between peace and quiet alone and a social event, anyone who knows her knows exactly what she'll choose. The prospect of the pool parties and an all-expenses-paid lovers' night in sound best to her, but she's still getting to know the other people in the city which means her first stop is speed dating.

She takes time to clean up, dress up, and even accessorize before making her way to the Riverview mall. Once there, she doesn't hesitate to sign up, slap a nametag on, and make her way to the first available table she sees. Getting her mind off the storm by flirting with handsome men is hardly a fate worse than death, even if she didn't expect to go adventuring quite this far beyond the borders of her country.

Fixing the person across from her with a smile, and leans her chin on the heel of her hand, her elbow on the table.]

So, first thing's first. Are you actually looking for companionship or just a partner to go with you for some of those couples' activies they've been advertising around town? [It seems important to make that distinction off the bat. Some people are here to stay, here to build a life. Others are just getting by until they get out. Why start a friendship or more without making sure you're on the same page?]

iii

[detia]

[To say Adam's surprised by the sudden, very direct question, would be an understatement. He'd only shown up to the speed dating event because, well - he had nothing else to do.

At least, it was what he liked to tell himself. Truth was, back home, and here, he'd always been lonely. Isolated, on purpose. He never had friends - not true ones, not ones made by choice.

And now he was sitting across from a pretty girl, who was asking him - basically - about his intentions, and all he could do, at first, was stare and blink at her, before he got a hold of himself.]

Um. Is both an appropriate answer?

[He laid his hands on the table, wishing he was better at talking to women as he was. That had never been incorporated in his training regimen. Sure, he had some experience, but it also usually involved alcohol.

Alcohol made him a lot smoother than he was sober, and that was a fact.]

Not sure why anyone would feel the need to hook up before a pool party, but who am I to judge?

[zethir]

[Okay. So maybe that was a bit too direct, but with speed dating there really isn't a lot of time, is there? So why not make sure everyone's on the same track. She grins a bit at his reaction, the um, and nods in understanding. If he feels awkward, she certainly isn't noticing it, not when she's at ease enough with social interactions to take the weight of them on her shoulders.]

I had the same thought but for all I know they have activities planned for pairs? [She shrugs.] But both works, and it's my answer as well I guess. I tend to play things by ear myself, but I figured at the very least I might make some new friends, if not something more.

[And at a glance, he seems handsome, well over a foot taller than her but then she likes that in a man. It's only then that she realizes she skipped right past introductions. Straightening up, she offers out her hand. ]

I'm Bryn, by the way. Bryn Zethir.

[detia]

I've never played things by ear, so I guess it's... [He pauses, unsure. A new start? A new life? Hope? He's jumped into something new and strange without hesitation, but for what? To feel like he belongs?

No.]

A chance. I guess it's a chance. [He smiles, a little crookedly, to try and hide how awkward he feels. He shouldn't - he's a soldier, he's trained for leadership. He can talk to a pretty girl.

Then she mentions friendship, and his brain halts again, for a second. He shakes his head, still smiling.]

You know, it'd be nice to not be completely alone all the time, here. [Nice change of pace. He takes her hand, shakes it firmly, but careful not to grip too tight.]

Adam.

[zethir]

[Never played things by ear? Bryn finds herself doubting that very much, to make such an absolute statement, but she doesn't question it. He has the right idea at least about this whole set-up. It's a chance. A slew of chances and opportunities, depending on how one played their cards.

She likes that he's easy to smile, at least, even if he doesn't seem entirely at ease sitting there talking to her.]

Nice to meet you, Adam. Where were you alone all the time, before you got here? [They're all from different realities so she wonders if his has a name the way this one does. If his people named their planets and galaxies as hers did.]

iii

[advanced]

[This is an unintended consequence of coming to the mall today.

All he wanted was some supplies, some food to last out the storm and maybe some tools in case he needs to help fix up a roof or something, but he appears to have wandered into some meeting. That'll teach him to pay more attention to the receipt for the clothes he just bought instead of where he's going, before he finds himself in a sea of nametags and milling people.]

What?

[Is she talking to him? Couples' activities? Wait, he does remember seeing something about that now.]

I think there's been a mistake.

[zethir]

[She lifts her eyebrows, curious by his response. That isn't the reply she'd expected, and she cants her head to the side, curious about what exactly the mistake could be.]

Has there? Already? That's quick even for me.

[She leans back, studying him curiously. He's fit. Attractive. For a world that might be ripe to pick up all kinds of misfits who might not feel at home where they are, it's certainly doing a very good job of picking up people who are at the higher end of good-looking.

It doesn't escape her notice, however, that he seems more caught off guard than curious about her for the same purpose. Initial assessment.]

What kind of mistake?

[advanced]

I'm not meant to be here.

[He holds up his bag of shopping in one gloved hand, half an explanation and half as if it's a shield against her. He doesn't really do small talk, this is the most he's spoken to a stranger in a long time already.]

I wasn't paying attention, I didn't realise where I was.

[zethir]

Oh, I see.

[When he says mistake, he means himself. Not her. Bryn looks over at the bag in his hand and the way he holds it. As if he could use it to fend off any unwelcome advances.

Nevermind that all she's doing is sitting there. It takes effort but she manages not to laugh at the image the thought conjures.]

Well, I'm the last person who'll keep you somewhere you don't want to be, but if you'd like to make a friend you're welcome to stay for a few minutes.

i

[dylinquent]

( Sitting around has never much suited Dylan. Opting for inaction leaves the nerves buzzing under her skin like little flies, dragging frustration and anger out in spades. She can help, somehow. (Maybe it's a problem of growing up surrounded by doctors, by those who react to emergencies with action and aid without even pausing to breathe-)

She's running back and forth, hefting sandbags with grunts and groans and probably not all that safely because she's a teenage girl, not anyone who's been taught how to move heavy objects or trained for muscle or strength. But when Dylan hears the request, she dumps the one she's carrying onto a pile against a building and gestures towards a table nearby. )

Over there.

( Exhaling, she wipes sweat from her brow and pushes loose hair back. Yeah, a break sounds good. )

I'll join you.

[zethir]

[Bryn looks over where the younger girl directs her and almost says a prayer of thanks to Jhirem and the Twelve at the sight of that water.]

Thanks so much.

[It doesn't take her any extra effort to abandon her cart in favor of soothing a parched throat. The work may be rewarding but it's still hard and at this point the agent feels like she's earned a break. Stopping over by the table, she glances back to the teen, giving her a quick, assessing glance. It's a matter of habit. She'd been watching her while working in the same area, noticing the way she lugged things around.]

How's your back doing?

2

[nadryv]

[He goes where the fighting is. That has always been his way. Where there is none, often he becomes the genesis of such a thing.

Here, separated from his allies, his country, and his purpose (his priorities shift. more than they should. some days, each of them means more than others) he has little recourse. When the call to arms comes, he goes. He sits in the transport, utterly still save the very, very faint click of his heel against the floor. Barely perceptible.

It is not nerves. To fight is expected. Death is inevitable. There are no old spies, and one does not retire from the KGB. If anything, he is-- anticipatory. When the woman speaks, his attention snaps to her like a gunshot.]

No.

[His accent is so obvious, that one word gives away his country of origin to anyone familiar with the region. He can hide it, of course. He is a spy, it is what they do. When it serves its purpose, he can just as easily be from America, from Australia, from Germany. Today, he is Russian and that alone.]

It makes no difference.

[zethir]

[The accent isn't the first thing that Bryn noticed about Illya when he stepped onto the transport. She'd looked everyone over as a matter of habit. Noted heights. Builds. Those who carried obvious weapons and those who did not. There was body language to observe, conversations to listen to.

And then there were some she couldn't get a proper read on at all. The man opposite her didn't fidget. Didn't talk. Didn't seem to be doing anything but waiting for them to arrive. If anyone there in the transport is with him, she couldn't tell. It's part of why she spoke up, tried to engage him in conversation.]

Maybe, maybe not. But having intel at the start does save us the trouble of figuring out tactics in the field.

[Knowing how intelligent the monsters were or if any of them were venomous could be useful, after all.]

I'm Bryn. You?

[nadryv]

[He has many identities. Passports are poor currency here, and yet he could easily lie. My name is Aleksander Vasiliev. Anton Mikhailov. Ivan. At any one time there are a hundred cover stories at his fingertips. He has grown used to making them account for two others, now absent. Sometimes he and Solo are brothers, as often now as when he and Gabriella play at husband and wife.

His fingers flex against his palm but there is no great rage in him that threatens to shake him apart at the rivets. He exhales calmly, and glances past the canvas fabric covering the back of the truck to watch the passing trees.]

I have heard it said that no plan survives first contact with the enemy.

[That was downright chatty of him. Solo's influence, it seems.]

And I am Illya.

[zethir]

[He's heard it said. She has as well. She's also experienced it firsthand. That moment when you had all of your pieces lined up and the moment she and her team got to the first step, everything fell apart. Thank the deities she thinks quickly on her feet, adapts with the changing situations gracefully more often than not.]

Nice to meet you, Illya.

[An honest statement, one she gives with a faint smile that reaches her eyes. He intrigues her, even if it's just for the space of this trip.]

And I've heard it also, but I still like to consider my options when I have the time.

ii

[chrisms]

Unfortunately not. Just the monsters. It'd help though, to know what else is out there. Even a map of the terrain'd be nice or something.

[ it's all pretty unhelpful in terms of intel and he'd have asked one of the guards for a little more information if they didn't seem too concerned with getting the help out there. he frowns a little bit, seated with a wrist propped up against his knee and slowly working a very small globe of light between his fingers. beyond that, he doesn't look to be very armed at all save a small kit strapped to his thigh. ]

You look ready for 'em, though

[ tipping his head towards her and shifting his frown to a little bit of a smile. it wouldn't really due to linger on that here--they'll do what they can to survive. ]

And I'll have your back if you want. [ he offers out a hand, not hesitating. ] Tris.

[zethir]

[Terrain was another thing Bryn had considered as well, though she'd hoped that learning about the monsters might give her an idea of the terrain by extension. Evolution was an interesting thing, and all kinds of beasts would adapt to the area. Granted, everywhere in the Quarantine seems overgrown enough to leave little to the imagination with regards to what they'll find out there.

Instead, her eyes watch the little globe of light that he plays with. It trips to and fro between his fingertips, with casual skill that Bryn finds comforting. If she's going to be working alongside magic users she'd rather be working with someone who knows what they're about and can exert such precise control.

She takes his hand when offered, and shakes it, firm but not too hard.]

Bryn. And I'll have yours as well. You look just as ready. [She tilts her chin toward him, toward the light.] I assume that magic of yours is more impressive in the field?

[chrisms]

[ if there's anything he's learned through the years, it's that nothing ringers truer than the old adage of strength in numbers. he holds her hand a moment, his own surprisingly cold to the touch. her grip is firm, steady. ]

Just a little more impressive. I heal, but could blow a thing or two up if it comes down to it.

[ he doesn't like it. he tries to avoid it, but sometimes the fight is inevitable and you have to get dirty some days even though you don't quite want to. he extinguishes the small light with a pinch of his fingers together, smiling. ]

[inlaid]

[Bryn notes the cool grip of his hand, but as much as she knows that stress leeches blood away from the extremities, she doesn't take it as a sign of nervousness before the battle. Not in the least.]

Well, it sounds like you're the person to keep by my side. Think you can keep me alive when I inevitably do something thrilling and stupid?

[She flashes him a quick grin. She's skilled, she's competent, but Bryn is well aware of how the adrenaline gets to her sometimes and pushes her a little too quickly. Makes her more of a daredevil.]

network prompt;

[zethir]

→ network: horse racing is animated roulette.

un: b.zethir

Did anyone else realize they have a racetrack here? With actual horses even, no mechs! Anyone feel like joining me to check it out today?

Wouldn't say no to a gym, sparring ring, or shooting range also if anyone's happened upon one...

[causational]

un: eddietective

Are the horses weird alien horses, or just normal horses? Important question.

[zethir]

...very important question. I think they're normal?? They look normal enough, at least by the standards of my world. Four legs with hooves, two ears, a mane and tail.

They could still be mechs inside, I suppose. Or they could be alien just because we're from another reality so that makes everything alien to us, right?

(i)

[signifies]

[ Clark isn't the type to sit idle either. He comes by her cart frequently for a 'refill' of his sandbags. Between the two of them and those moving along the river, it's almost done. He's trying not to use his enhanced speed, preferring to remain nondescript, but as the storm approaches he's mentally readying himself for the necessity.

Using it or not, he can still pick up what she says. Minutes later, he's back for another 'refill', with a spare water bottle, and a few nutrient bars. ]

They've been handing these out.

[zethir]

[She finds herself working with someone else by unspoken agreement, which suits her fine. She's happy to continue to cart the sandbags around while he helps distribute them, a little quicker than she can due to his added height and strength.

Bryn focuses on her own work, but it's habit to keep an eye on him and everyone else in her vicinity.

The offer of water and nutrient bars is more than welcome, however, as is the opportunity to interact. She takes a bottle and one of the bars with a quick smile.]

Thanks the deities. [She tucks the bar into a back pocket before twisting the bottle top off, drinking more than a sip or two before capping it again.] Appreciate that. And the help with the sandbags too. It's a lot of work for just one person.

[signifies]

[ He smiles, politely. If she's remarking on the mysterious fact that he's doing more than one person physically can, it's being sidestepped. Clark isn't in the habit of discussing what he can do. In fact, he doesn't know what his limits are, let alone how to describe them to another person. ]

Just happy to help. Do you need someone to take over the cart while you rest?