riverview: may test drive meme

[riverviewmod]

riverview test drive meme

Welcome 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 June 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 for 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

prompt i: search & rescue

Following rumors about a magical healing spring deep in the jungle, a group of intrepid explorers ventured out to verify whether it existed or not. After finding the spring inside an ancient temple overrun with tree roots and flora, they brought samples back and discovered that the spring did, in fact, have healing properties. Just like the rumors said.

Until the authorities decided what to do with this information, no actions were to be taken, nor information revealed to the public at large. Unfortunately, the news leaked and spread to the alternative science communities as well as the top minds at Gramarye Magic Research. With interest piqued, several more unauthorized expeditions set out beyond the fence in search of the spring. And once the information leaked beyond these scientists and scholars? Everyday citizens also launched their own excursions into the jungle, many bringing ailing family members or friends along for the ride.

This month the mission is to deploy teams of skilled citizens into the jungle to rescue some of the less fortunate, unsuccessful parties. Some of these people will be trapped or set upon by monsters, unable to move forward to the spring or back to the safety of the city. Others have simply run out of supplies and need the teams to restock them so they can continue their trek. And some groups have managed to reach the spring and collect their own samples of the spring water, only to find themselves struggling to return to the city before the samples lose efficacy. Feel free to create your own party to rescue, and get a team together to do so!

prompt ii: death from above

Normally, living inside the Inhabited City is a pretty safe bet. You can go day to day without running into a monster or risking any kind of danger requiring a fight. Generally, the tall, laser-fenced walls keep out anything particularly dangerous.

The problem with walls? They only go so high.

While usually assault from airborne monsters isn't a problem that's on the map, there's a few weeks during late spring where a swarm of flying monsters not unlike feathery pterodactyls are migrating back to another part of the moon. They're only in the area for a couple of weeks, but during that time, residents can expect occasional attacks by swooping monsters if they should see easy prey. Usually, a good sturdy dark-colored umbrella is enough to keep them from seeing a potential victim or meal, but sometimes the attacks still happen. So the Perimeter Guard sends extra details, calling in all the reserves, to patrol the city and keep an eye out for citizens in distress. There's also a general call for anyone who's experienced at fighting to help protect their fellow citizens. Whether your character is being attacked or protecting someone else, be prepared - these monsters are quick and have very sharp teeth.

prompt iii: homesick bazaar

Over the past couple of weeks, the portal has seemed really fixated on food. Almost every time the portal changes location, new bundles of food are near the entrance, ripe for the Perimeter Guard Orientation Team to pick up and drag through. As a result, the Orientation Team has set up a free bazaar outside City Hall. The Bazaar lasts from the 20th until the 31st of May, and is completely free, featuring tables and booths laden with food taken from the other side of the portal. Many of these foods will be familiar to characters in the City, whether it's that special brand they're totally addicted to or a plate of grandma's family recipe.

Everything at the Bazaar is totally free, and anyone joining in on the feast is encouraged to share (read: gently not allowed to leave until they do) and to tell stories about the origin of the foods from their own home. It's a multidimensional foodie's paradise!

prompt iv: prijata pregaming

Prijata is a holiday in Riverview celebrating platonic love - essentially, it's a celebration of friendship, geared at showing appreciation for existing friends and finding new ones. While I won't spoil the rest of the prompts for the introductory mingle, one of the main staples of Prijata is gift giving, and the Government of Riverview gets into the spirit of it by giving small gifts to everyone who's arrived since the last Prijata.

This prompt can be used to give a quick idea of what your character is into so other characters or players can suggest gifts to be given them (or to give them) if they are accepted! More information can be found in the Prijata Pregaming modpost.

prompt v: friendr/network

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.

Code to post your character's bio is in the textbox below, or you can just do a text version of the information in the app. An example of how it looks can be found here.

<center><blockquote style="width: 220px; margin: 0; padding: 0px; background-image: url('http://i42.tinypic.com/2uf53s4.jpg'); font-size: 12px; font-family: verdana; border-radius: 20px; text-align: center;"><div style="padding: 10px 0 0 0; text-align: center;font-size: 25px; font-weight: 900; font-style: italic; color: #528887; text-shadow: -2px 2px 2px rgba(150, 150, 150, 1);">F<span style="font-size: 16px;">RIENDR</span></div> <center><img src="ICON URL HERE" style="border-radius: 50%; width: 70px; height: 70px; box-shadow:-3px 3px 2px 0px rgba(82, 136, 135, .75);"></center> <center><div style="width: 210px; background-color: #528887; color: #fff; padding: 5px; font-size: 14px;">Name of Character</div></center> <center><div style="width: 210px; background-color: #528887; color: #fff; padding: 5px; font-size: 11px; text-align: left;"><b><small>AGE:</small></b> ## <b><small>INTERESTED IN:</small></b> Male/Female/Any <b><small>SEEKING:</small></b> Type(s) of Relationship(s) <b><small>ABOUT ME:</small></b> Blurb goes here, can be as long or short as you wish.</div></center><br> </blockquote></center>
Many thanks to mistojen for coding this especially for Riverview!

prompt vi: wildcard

Choose your own adventure and do something else in the setting!

navigation
[river market image is by Tyler Edlin]

Comments

Lucretia / The Adventure Zone

[scholiast]

02. death from above

(Lucretia's a reluctant fighter, one who will do what she has to if the situation calls for it. Even then, her grasp on magic is still tenuous, physical fighting skills rusty and unpolished; turns out hanging around with a group of people who will go for almost anything if it looks at them sideways for long enough has its downsides after all.

The creature soaring up above is no doubt drawn to her IPRE-issue jacket, the bright red a beacon against the concrete ground. When it swoops down towards her, instinct is the only thing that saves Lucretia at the last second: she jumps to the side, and lashes out with a fist, surprising herself with the swiftness of her reaction.

It barely connects, but sends the thing spinning back up into the air nevertheless. When it turns for another go at her, all Lucretia can do is raise clenched hands against it, stomach tight with anxiety as she desperately tries to remember anything Magnus has ever tried to teach her in the past.)

03. homesick bazaar

(Now that she's at three days since she came through the portal, Lucretia is starting to reconcile with the reality of her situation: this (whatever this is) is not another cycle. This planet– this city– is unlike anything that she's seen before. Usually this wouldn't perturb her, but the disappearance of the Starblaster, and her fellow IPRE members has changed everything. It's starting to hit her, hard.

Barring this, the Light doesn't seem to exist here, and there's nothing to shoot for, nowhere to start. Anxiety is settling in as she wanders the streets, completely thrown by the sudden disappearance of a structure she has been dutifully following for more than thirty years now.

The Bazaar provides a welcome distraction. Her attention is immediately drawn to familiar smells that abruptly remind her of her mother's home cooking; of a planet with two suns that she misses more than she can say; of a ship, and of people she's starting to dread she'll never see again. She accepts a plate with shaking hands and takes it to a quiet place so she can sit and pencil a few, quiet thoughts into her pocketbook about things she is worried she might, one day, forget.)

05a. network
video, user: chronicler

(The feed buzzes for a short while, static crackling until the video finally comes into proper focus; even then, the camera is angled down. Lucretia's shoulder is the only thing in shot.

There's a soft 'okay' and a gentle shuffling of paper, and then a journal is being held up to the camera, opened wide to focus on a double page spread of a watercolour painting. The painting is of purple and green hills, some of which are cracked neatly down the middle to reveal rock inside that sparkles like the night sky. In the middle of the page, bright white contrasting starkly, is a large, soft white circle. It's brushed in delicately, and seems to be radiating light out over the hills surrounding it.

Lucretia clears her throat, speaking loudly and clearly from behind the book.)

Has anybody seen anything like this planet side? I'd appreciate any information you have.

05b. friendr

FRIENDR

Lucretia

AGE: It's complicated.
INTERESTED IN: Any.
SEEKING: Information.
ABOUT ME: Biographer by trade & ghost writer for hire. Current working project: The Stolen Century.

one.

[aeturnus]

[ why punching, tho

Someone comes up at her side rather unruffled by all the attacks, young and human with clothes a bit torn but no visible injuries. He holds a hand out to her. ]

There's an awning just down the street we can hide under 'til they pass. Coming?

[scholiast]

(why not these birds look hungry and she's got plenty of knuckle sandwiches to dish outttt

The sudden appearance of somebody beside her makes Lucretia flinch away, and she very nearly lashes out again– except it's a person offering safety, instead of something trying to bite her. She lowers her fists.)

Absolutely. Oh, watch out– (She grabs his offered hand, and steps ahead to pull him out of the way as the creature dives at their heads again.)

[aeturnus]

[ To his credit, Cain doesn't flinch at her automatic fight reaction. He goes with the pull, even, and then starts to lead her away to the aforementioned awning. ]

Nice punch. Way more effective than I would have thought.

[scholiast]

Thanks.

(Lucretia glances over her shoulder as they retreat, and is unnerved to notice the creature watching them do so.)

What are those things?

[aeturnus]

[ He follows her gaze and shudders dramatically. Doesn't let it deter him at all, though. ]

No idea. Monsters? Not my specialty, but they've been calling in all the guns to try and keep them contained.

video; @angela

[hevenly]

That is beautiful. [ Angela, you're not helping. ] I have not seen its like before; where is it?

text; @chronicler

[scholiast]

(Lucretia lowers the journal, and reaches forwards to switch off the video feed. Her reply comes a couple minutes later; she's still getting used to the new technology.)

Thank you.
A small, uninhabited planet we named Wuhines– but that's not important. The Light is what I'm looking for. Please, have you seen it here?

video still

[hevenly]

[ Angela has trouble enough just working her device, she doesn't risk switching to text, and so remains on video for her part of the communication. ]

I have seen no light here but the sun and the stars.

[scholiast]

(Lucretia sighs, and puts her device down, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Okay. Okay. But this doesn't mean that the Light doesn't exist. Perhaps it simply hasn't been found yet.)

Okay. Thank you for taking the time to reply. I suppose I'll have to find it via other means.

Is this planet very big?

two

[spellslots]

[Taako sees a flash of red, bright and familiar and his heart twists in his chest, breath catching as the shock loosens his grip on his bowl of food, sending it crashing to the ground. For a split, painful second, he thinks Lup, but realises almost immediately that the hair and ears tell a completely different story, one that's almost equally gut wrenching, one that he's not even sure how to start with.

She looks young, still, and she's in her IPRE robe and all the anger at her future actions drains away as Taako looks at someone he used to be family, before she took even that away from him.]

Lucretia?

[His voice shakes and he hates that, almost as much as he hates how he's rooted to the spot, not sure whether to move forward to embrace her or to run, away from the mess of... whatever this is.]

SHOUTS

[scholiast]

(The wavering sound of her name makes her head jerk up, and her eyes dart for a moment before she spots him, and immediately breaks out into a rare grin.)

Taako– (She gets to her feet, pushing her plate and book aside and rushes over to throw her arms around him. Neither of them are people who typically hug, but the moment feels right, and Lucretia doesn't know how else to express the colossal relief flooding through her. Somebody is here. She isn't alone, after all. And Taako will know where the rest of them are, surely.

She gives him a final squeeze around the shoulders before she releases him, glancing behind him automatically for Lup. But Lup isn't there. Maybe they all got split up, and she's the first one he's found.)

I'm so glad– where are the others? Taako, I don't understand this cycle at all, it's completely different. Why didn't we come in on the ship? Why did– what's wrong?

(She's finally noticed the way that he's looking at her, eyes wide. And now that she actually looks at him he seems... different, some how, in a way she can't quite put her finger on. She leans back, uncertainly.)

u did this to yourself

[spellslots]

[His body moves without his brain having say in it, arms coming up by instinct to wrap around Lucretia; he's still in shock, the logic of knowing time is strange here clashing with the sheer absurdity of seeing Lucretia in her robe, something she hasn't worn for a decade.

Idly, he wonders if she kept her robes. He wonders what happened to his.]

Lux...

[The nickname feels strange in his mouth, but then, so does Lucretia, when she spent so long insisting they call her the Director.

Taako fixes a smile in place that's shaky at best, trying to be reassuring.]

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this isn't a cycle, it's a whole new brand of horseshit. The ship and the others are wherever you left 'em.

[You, not we.]

What cycle was it, pumpkin? Where were ya?

mercy

[scholiast]

Hold on.

(She ducks back and fishes her pocketbook up off of the ground, flicking back through the pages.) Thirty first, almost thirty second. Water planet– Duploth was what the locals call it.

(Something isn't right. Lucretia can't tell exactly what per say, but she can tell by the way Taako is smiling, all wrong and forced. She keeps her head bent over her book so he can't see the look on her face. Her next question is casual enough.)

What do you mean, wherever I left them? Are you from a different cycle?

no >:3

[spellslots]

[Fuck, she's so young.

It takes him a second to think back on it, to put it in context of all the other cycles, but Tesseralia is an easy enough point of reference, so he gets it quickly enough.]

Something like that, sure. [There's no way he can get away with outright lying to her, even when she's this early in the cycles. They've still known each other for over thirty years, longer than a lot of people ever get.] Turns our life can get weirder, now there's time travel shit involved!

[He won't outright lie, but he doesn't need to tell the full truth, either.

Lup would, but Lup isn't here. There's just Lucretia and Taako and he doesn't want to do any of this in public]

I've been here a little while and you know me, I wasn't gonna shack up with a bunch of dipshits for god knows how long. You wanna check out my digs?

friendr ma petite beardy

[snarkbark]

Are you expecting to meet many people interested in writing autobiographies here?

well well well well well well well well well well well

[scholiast]

Perhaps? I haven't met enough people yet to know or not.

[snarkbark]

Do you also do editing work?

[scholiast]

From time to time, but I prefer writing. Did you need something edited?

[snarkbark]

Hopefully. I'm looking to write a detailed bestiary of what to expect outside the quarantine.

for spellslots ♡

[scholiast]

(Being pulled from the Moon to the Inhabited City almost feels like being forced to take a vacation. While the literal distance from the Bureau is nice in theory, Lucretia is anxious to be back already– she has so much to do. There are a lot of irons in the fire that she's been delicately balancing for years, and finally they are starting to come together.

Lucretia supposes that it was this that caused the portal to open in the first place. Seeing Magnus, Merle and Taako for the first time since... since–

Well. They have their first assignment; she has Lup's Phoenix Fire Gauntlet. Two of seven relics reclaimed. After they had departed for Rockport, she had sunk down behind her desk and cried, momentarily overwhelmed by grief and doubt and longing for the Starblaster; her friends; their journey through the hundred cycles.

And now she's here. Part of her appreciates the intervention, and part of her is twitchy, waiting for the Hunger to descend. She distracts herself by exploring, taking long, contemplative walks, and wishing she had a journal with her for old time's sake.)

[spellslots]

[Anger was always Lup's domain. Taako can be petty, Taako is petty, but he's good at keeping it self contained or finding other outlets, while Lup always burned brightly and fiercely when something upset her.

Right now, though, he feels a lot more like Lup, with his umbrella outstretched, hand shaking, magic missile at the ready.

But he can't do it, just like he couldn't shoot at an unarmed Lucas, he can't fire at someone he spent a century loving, no matter what she's done to betray him, betray them in the decade since then. Hurting Lucretia won't bring Lup back.

The magic missiles still fire, but they sail over her head, striking harmlessly against the side of the building to catch her attention, and there's Taako, still shaking as he drops the disguise self spell that he's worn constantly since Wonderland, because he wants her to see. He wants her to know what she did, sending them into that hellhole so fucking unprepared.]

Remember me?

[scholiast]

(Lucretia can feel the magic crackle in the air before the missile has fully reached her; she doesn't flinches when the strikes careen over the top of her head, merely draws her staff. She hasn't had to fight anything in years but she still remembers how to do it, and readies a spell as she turns toward the source–

and feels as if the breath has been knocked out of her.)

Taako?

(Her voice is hoarse, hands suddenly clenched hard upon her staff, her heart in her throat. He's missing some of his usual glamour and poise: he looks tired, like his exhaustion goes bone-deep. Lucretia herself knows that feeling all too intimately. He has the Umbra staff pointed casually in her direction. She does not let go of her staff.

And he knows. Lucretia is intensely, horrifyingly aware of it. He is from a point in the future where he has drunk of the second Voidfish, and her plan has failed. Where in time is he from? Is he the only one left?)

Of course I do, (she says, struggling to stay diplomatic, neutral, even though a deep, preoccupying panic is starting to set in.) Why wouldn't I?

[spellslots]

You erased Lup, who knows what depths you'll sink to.

[It's meant to cut, because sure, maybe he won't physically hurt Lucretia, but that doesn't mean he has to play nice, or that he can't do damage with his words.

She brought a relic here, to this place that's supposed to be safe from the Hunger, and if his guess is right about what she's been doing with the ones they've collected, reassembling the light, she might have just doomed this world.]

[scholiast]

Taako, I–

(Cut it does. Lucretia can feel her hands starting to shake, but she draws herself up straight-backed, facing Taako down. He's only trying to hurt me because he doesn't know what else to do, she thinks, and, reason over emotion. Reason over emotion. She swallows her anguish as best she can.)

I know that you're angry, (she says, and closes her eyes for a moment, world-weary. Coming from where she has just been, this is a colossal shift in the narrative. She was banking on at least a year passing before she'd have to have this discussion with any of them.)

But I need to know, before we get into this. Who else is alive?