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riverviewooc2017-04-20 11:42 am
riverview: april test drive meme
riverview test drive memeWelcome to Riverview's 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 May 1st.
● Providing all parties are amenable, threads on the test drive meme can count as game canon, as the plot in the prompts presented is game canon.
● TDM threads do not count for Activity Check, but they do count for Activity Bonus Points, so long as all characters involved are accepted into the game.
● Threading on the TDM is intended for prospective new characters, so top-levels should only be posted by players of these characters. Since the events in the TDM are considered game canon, characters currently in the game are free to use the TDM prompts logs and posts on the regular communities.
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 ● calendar ● navigation
Recently, a team of skilled explorers went out into the jungle to the Northwest of the city to follow up on several sightings of a giant lizardlike behemoth that's been skulking around outside the walls, a creature whose level of aggression (and therefore how dangerous it might be) was unknown. The team, while not exactly as stealthy as they were supposed to be, did manage to find the creature, which they found to have about the intelligence and temperament of a very, very, very large dog. And whom they named Liam.
Having established that the behemoth (which is around the size of a blue whale, snakelike in shape, but with four legs, brown striated scales, large claws and teeth, bad breath, and an affinity for face-licking) is not an intentional danger to the city, the authorities could not rule out the idea that it might cause accidental damage to the city, walls, or crops around the city. As a result, research has been done and a new mission has been drafted and recruited for - baiting the behemoth. The objective of this large-scale mission is for many small, quick-moving teams to take behemoth bait deep into the jungle for the purpose of luring the massive but mostly-harmless creature away from the city and hopefully to a new, less-inhabited feeding area. There is room for many different teams, and all of them should be heading deep into the jungle heading directly away from the city, going Northwest. The authorities in question have come up with a wide variety of food and pheromone scented lures that range from mild to truly stinky, so which type your team gets is up to you.
Each lure is small enough to fit in a cage-shaped canister that can be carried like a backpack by one person with average strength, and each lure-carrier will need to be accompanied by at least one or two fighters. Why, when the behemoth is peaceful? Well....
The behemoth might not be aggressive, but unfortunately it's picked up some unwelcome companions. After last month's near-disaster where a colony of lizardlike monsters had taken up residence in tunnels under the city, wreaking havoc in the power grid, and were subsequently either killed or flushed out of the underground, some of the local fauna has been bumped down the food chain.
The fauna in question is a very large pack of mammalian six-limbed creatures that usually live in the trees and hunt oversized insects in the underbrush. When the lizards escaped the underground into the surrounding jungle, and drastically reduced the population of the insects the mammals usually feed on, the predators became parasites, attacking the only thing left that is more docile than the insects they usually feed on - the behemoth. These creatures are quick-moving, well-camouflaged in the jungle with mottled brown-and-green fur, and sport massive teeth and long tongues that allow them to stick to whatever surface they land on.
Hungry as they are, they will make no distinction between the behemoth's juicy hide and the lure-carrying teams that are trying to help it. Hopefully, their ranks can be thinned enough that the behemoth survives the trip to its new home.
Not everyone is cut out for missions into the jungle or cleaning up angry predatory parasite monsters, but that doesn't mean that staying home means being safe from the weird things that come out of the portal. In the early morning of April 20th, drawn by the warmth of the rising sun, a massive swarm of rainbow-colored fireflies emerges from the portal into the quarantine. Unlike regular fireflies, though, they are bright enough to glow even during the day, and these bugs have bite! While generally harmless aside from stinging a little, the bite of the rainbow fireflies causes certain kinds of emotional response to become heightened, depending on the color of the firefly in question. While scientists have never run into these bugs before and have no idea how it works, they can cause this effect in any kind of sentient creature that is capable of emotion, including androids and characters that are usually unaffected by substances. The effects on emotions are as follows:
| ● RED: Lust/Anger ● ORANGE: Honesty/Openness ● YELLOW: Fear/Anxiety |
● GREEN: Jealousy/Envy ● BLUE: Sadness/Grief ● VIOLET: Love/Affection |
When a character is bitten, the effects on their emotions can last anywhere from an hour to a week, depending on the character's psychology and resistance to certain emotions - for example, if a character has a hard time dealing with their grief, the effect of a blue firefly may last longer than other colors. How the characters manifest the heightened emotional response or sensitivity is up to the individual player, as different body chemistry or other circumstances might change how characters are affected. Red firefly bites have a 50/50 chance of affecting a character with lust or anger, though characters who have not reached sexual maturity (underage characters) won't get get the lust effect.
Firefly effects can be easily avoided simply by avoiding the fireflies. It won't take long for some of the geniuses in the Quarantine to start making and distributing firefly repellent, and characters can expect sales of mosquito tents to skyrocket.
These alien fireflies have a lifespan of around a month, and they are unable to procreate outside their native environment, which means the last of them will be dying off around May 20th.
CLARIFICATION: In response to a player question, the effects of the fireflies CAN layer, so they can be affected by more than one at the same time. Red fireflies with the lust effect don't make characters incapable of controlling themselves, just heighten feelings of arousal/desire.
Whether your character is posting up a silly word game to distract people from the dangerous mission going on, trying to get hold of a friend, or putting out feelers for people to go out into the fray with, the network is going strong.
Alternately, an offer for a free app is popping up on new arrivals' devices - Friendr is a friend-finder and/or dating app. If characters choose to install it, they will fill out a short bio and parameters for what they're looking for, upload a snap of themselves, and then proceed to browse for matches. This is a typical swipe-left-or-right type app.
Many thanks to
mistojen for coding this especially for Riverview!Choose your own adventure and do something else in the setting!
no subject
I'd offer to let you take a look, but it also tends to electrocute people who aren't me! So, well, I suppose you could look but not touch, for safety's sake.
[There are explanations for why the umbra staff is the way it is, but he doesn't remember them.]
If I had to guess, I'd say it's cause the voidfish works on memories. Like, alright, lemme give you shortest version possible.
A voidfish eats memories, you write something down, put it in the tank and then that shit's just gone, from the memory of everyone who ever knew it. Unless you drink the water (pee??) from its tank. It also stops you from being able to comprehend anything its eaten, even if you didn't know it before. But the effects might be limited to the universe the voidfish, and the original information, existed in.
I've got an example, here!
[He sends a picture of an iron-on badge, dark blue, with 12 circles, each a different colour embroided on it. The letters IPRE are in the middle. The note said "for your eyes only" when he got it, but that doesn't seem very important here.]
I can't read that, no matter how hard I try, but you can, right?
no subject
I'd be curious to see it! At a safe distance, that is. It would be very unfortunate if my magical essence were to be consumed. I think possibly for your umbrella, too. [ Does it eat demonic energy... ]
That's very unfortunate for you, but I can't lie and say there's not something a little bit morbidly fascinating about it. [ Maybe not the part that involves drinking pee, but... ] I don't know what it means, but I can read it, yes. Would I be able to tell you what it said?
[ It's hard to tell via text, but he is... pretty deeply curious. ]
no subject
[He's happy to give Magnus an out to say "maybe later" even if that later never happens.]
A safe distance it is, then! If it doesn't like the taste of warlock it'd probably spit you out, that's what happened when it ate a lich.
[Which is probably close to demonic energy, although liches don't have a physical body, so that makes a difference.]
It's not like, the worst thing to ever happen to me, but it's pretty fucking annoying. You could try telling me, but I'd just see gibberish, or hear static.
no subject
[ He really isn't reluctant, that's a promise. Let him talk about it and he will talk and talk... ]
I doubt I'd look as nice after being chewed up and spit out. Just a guess! Is a lich a demon?
[ Since that would presumably be the general consensus in his world. Probably. ]
Even if it's no more than "annoying," that's still quite an outcome! What if I wrote it down and gave it to you? [ Now we're just exercising all the curiosity. ]
You know, it occurs to me that I never introduced myself. I'm Magnus.
no subject
[Literally every god from Taako's canon: bitch shut up]
I'll admit I'm curious, even if it will require charts and a history lesson.
A lich is what happens when someone binds their soul to magic, losing their body annnnd usually their sanity! I'm not a fan, even if one helped save our asses a couple times.
If you just wrote it out I still couldn't read it, although... It's not a long word, is it? Maybe if you sent the individual letters?
[He's from about 24 hours too early to know that won't work.]
It's pleasure, Magnus! [His best bud is named Magnus this is gonna get confusing] I'm Taako :)
no subject
[ He is the son of a demon, so a lot of people would probably say his opinions don't count, but they would... be wrong! ]
In that case, meeting for coffee sounds like a superb plan!
A lich is decidedly not a demon then. And it doesn't sound good at all, no. I'd hope that doesn't happen often.
No, it's not long at all! Only four letters. And it doesn't look like a word to me. It looks like initials of some kind, but it could simply be a language I don't speak. The first letter is I. [ Is that going to go all fuzzy? ]
The pleasure's all mine, Taako! I'm very pleased you responded to my question! It's been extremely enlightening.
no subject
Coffee it is, once you're all settled in let me know and I'll pick an appropriate place for history lessons.
It isn't easy to become a lich and they gotta spend their undeath hiding from the grim reaper, otherwise he'll take them to the astral plane where they oughta be! Turns out the goddess of death (if she is a real god!) isn't a fan of people trying to cheat death.
"Initials" is more than I had before, and yeah, I can read that. The letter I, right?
Trust me, dramatics aside it's pretty great to talk to someone else who knows their magic shit. No offense to the regular humans here, but it gets a little boring.
no subject
I will look forward to both coffee and history lessons! With the smallest amount of charts I can manage while still hopefully being instructive. I'll ask Alexander to proofread for me. I trust he'll keep me from droning on too long.
If it were my job to keep track of the dead, I doubt I'd want anyone running where they weren't meant to go. That's purely speculative, of course.
The second letter is P. Is it just the letters you aren't able to make out or is it the rest of the image as well? [ This isn't a spell to wipe out life as we know it, is it? He's just blithely reciting something scary, isn't he? ]
Oh, I'm sure! As you said, no offense to them, but I understand how that could be so. Warlocks aren't exactly abundant where I'm from, so good conversation on the subject can be hard to find, even when you're in a familiar environment!
no subject
If there's enough coffee I can sit through almost any amount of charts, promise.
Oh he gets super mad about that whole thing, it's kinda cute.
[The grim reaper is very handsome okay.]
Got the second letter, and yup, I can see the image on it, the colorful circles. I think they might represent the planes of existence, but I don't know why.
[You know those badges on people's work uniforms? That's all it is, not some secret evil spell.]
That would be a terrible shame, even if I guess it makes you far more special! There are quite a lot of magic users back home, and most elves can naturally do a little bit of it.
no subject
I'll bear that in mind! But I will also consult with the man in question, because I'm sure he'll keep my presentation sensible. Apparently I am very fond of a theatrical flourish or two!
What, I wonder, does cute look like on a grim reaper? [ One must ask! One must know... ]
The third is R and the last is E. Does that mean anything, when you combine it with the image?
[ Oh, whew. That's good. He wouldn't have wanted to unwittingly put dangerous information in someone's hands if they were both equally unaware of what was being passed around here. ]
Does the aptitude level vary quite a bit then?
no subject
[A sadface is an appropriate reaction to temporary insanity.]
Feel free to make it shorter, but the theatrical flourishes are an absolute must!
He gets very flustered and forgets to keep his body properly conjured, but he's very handsome when not doing the whole... skeleton in tattered robes thing.
[tbh he's into the skeleton look but more in a "dramatic as hell" way, he doesn't wanna fuck the skeleton, this isn't Undertale fandom.]
See, I can read those individually but it's not... it doesn't feel very good, when I try to put it all together. Static, ya know? Bleh.
[Feels bad, man.]
Little bit! Some races are more predisposed to certain magic, and I guess some people have an easier time with it. I'm but a simple wizard, my boss could probably kick my ass without breaking a sweat.
no subject
Probably it would go something like that. ]
I really can't get rid of the theatrical flourishes. I tried for awhile and didn't care for it much at all, so I've long since decided to embrace them! I like to think people enjoy them. Some people, anyway! [ It's one of those "the people who mind don't matter, the people who matter don't mind" situations. ]
Is he very flustered by comments about how handsome he is? [ Darn. You can't see his expression, but he is a tiny bit amused here. Tiny bit.
There shall by no skeleton-related judgment from this side of the text conversation, you have our solemn word on that. ]
Oh, then I will cease immediately! And I apologize for any discomfort, too. [ That! Is troubling!! Causing distress to new acquaintances is really actually pretty high on the list of things Magnus Does Not Want. Unless they're the type that antagonize him and Taako has been nothing but nice. ]
I'd presume that's how your boss came to be your boss? Or was that due to an interest in politics? [ That does sometimes happen, he finds. ]
no subject
[Status effects in D&D aren't the most horrible thing in the world, he can handle it.]
Anyone who doesn't enjoy a good flourish is some kind of barbarian and not worth worrying about. My audiences used to love all the flourishes.
More like flustered when I eat part of the crystal body he was inhabiting use a magic fork, orrrr when I got tentacles involved in our fight :) (there was a minor misunderstanding about how dead I was supposed to be)
[Kravitz thought it was "very", Taako was inclined to disagree]
Don't sweat it, my dude, this is way further than I'd gotten before! Just kinda gives me the heebie jeebies to think about it too hard.
She started the organisation, so I think that just automatically made her the boss. No one's gonna challenge her on it, for sure, and she's pretty great when she isn't riding our asses about training.
no subject
It does sound a little fantastical, even to Magnus. But that's what has him so intrigued. ]
We have a similar view on that! I don't think it hurts to put that little extra bit of effort into things, do you? [ He has yet to really allude to being Very Old, except indirectly, but... that little extra stuff happens to be one way of keeping from getting very bored! Or it was, once upon a time for him. Things are a bit different now. ]
Both of these sound like very, very interesting stories. Let me guess, you were only supposed to be "mostly dead?"
[ Magnus, don't bring classic film references into this right now. ]
Well, if you say so. I suppose it's helpful if you learned something, in spite of the consequences.
Oh, yes. That does tend to put people first in line for leadership. She sounds tough! [ But fair? ]
no subject
[He doesn't quite fit in with the other fantasy or ye olden times folks, not when he's used to elevators and robots, but there's too much magic in his world for everyone else.]
Absolutely not, my man! And if someone's gonna make that extra effort you gotta fucking appreciate it, it means they care.
Not quite that. Apparently I've died like eight times? Which probably comes back to the whole weird missing memories and unreadable patches thing. But we sorted it all out with Mr. Dark-and-Spooky, at least.
She's pretty tough, but not the worst boss I've ever had, for sure.
no subject
[ It does make for an unusual combo! Magnus may be closer to relating than most, even though the volume of magic in his world seems to be much lower. He does live most of his life in spaces where he practices his magic freely, if not publicly. ]
I like the way you think! And you're absolutely right, of course. Paying attention to detail emphasizes how much you care about someone or something. Even if that something doesn't seem significant to others. Like what you wear, for example.
Taako, you sound like a cat! Is that saying familiar to you? About cats having nine lives?
Recounting tales about terrible bosses will inevitably have us here for hours, I'm sure. I can only imagine, that is. I've had a few terrible contracts in my time.
no subject
[Worlds where magic is seen as Bad and Dangerous are the worst, in his humble opinion.]
You get me, my dude, I swear no one here knows how to dress themselves. Thank god you get me.
[Half the time he looks like he got his outfits from the 50c bin at a Goodwill but somehow he makes it works. And he hasn't realized that most people think dresses and skirts are gendered, there are so many dudes missing out on the opportunity to wear great skirts :(]
I've heard that one, but if that's the case I'm on my last fucking life, which isn't great!
I grew up on travelling caravans so I have for sure got some horror stories. We might need cocktails before we trade those.
no subject
[ +1 to that sentiment. ]
There's a quote about having a responsibility to look your best if you're able. Well, I am able.
[ Magnus absolutely does not conform to gender norms. Makeup and painted nails and his fondness for jewelry and very changeable hairstyles would seem to attest to that. Kindred spirits? ]
Oh, for all we know, cats have more lives that previously believed! I can tell you they really do land on their feet most of the time though.
Yes, that does sound like a several-drink sort of situation, doesn't it?
sorry for being hideously slow
[#bad post op]
I'm gonna have to find that quote so I can put it on my fucking gravestone
Have you been throwing a lot of cats out of windows? That seems just a liiiitle mean, homie.
At least four drinks, really!
no, no, not at all! c:
[ Except now he is thinking about it. Gross, icky, bad. No good. Ick. ]
Stylish even in death? [ That's morbid, Magnus. ]
In all my years, I've never thrown a cat out a window! I have watched a few make very improbable jumps though. They're very smart, cats.
Everyone else's four is my eight, if I'm being honest.