riverview: 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 April 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.
● Since this particular TDM is plot-heavy, current players are welcome to do their own top-levels to interact with the plot. However, since it is still a TDM intended to help potential new players get involved, there will be a special additional +25 Activity Point bonus for any thread submitted by a current player that involves a potential new character rather than focusing on existing CR, for this TDM post.

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. Thanks to player-created plots, this month's Test Drive is set to effect the game setting for the next few months, so please enjoy!

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

plot overview

After just over a week of increasingly serious blackouts and brownouts around the city, the team in charge of the structural integrity and defense of the wall has found the source of the problem, and posted a network entry explaining that the issue is caused by a large quantity of lizard-like monsters that have compromised the underground infrastructure of the city, and requesting volunteers to help do a full-scale manual extermination of monsters and assess the damage and do urgent repairs.

prompt i: a call to arms

The most urgent request presented is for people to help clear out the monsters in the underground tunnels - and there are a lot of them! With estimated monster numbers in the area of 500-1000, ranging from adult to juvenile, there's a lot of work to be done to clear out the underground infrastructure of the city. The Perimeter Guard will have a steady stream of transport trucks going to escort any fight-capable residents who want to volunteer out to the tunnels. They will also provide weapons of various varieties as well as short training sessions on how to use them safely in a confined space for anyone who doesn't have their own.

Whether you fight with a weapon, your fists, magic, or poison darts, your help is more than welcome down in the tunnels. The only real request is to keep seismic or explosive abilities or attacks on the mild side, and to be careful not to poison the city's water supply! Other than that, go wild.

prompt ii: into the depths

Clearing out monsters is all well and good, but they have definitely done some damage to the city's infrastructure. So it isn't just the brawn that needs to step up to help the city, it's the brains. There's a call for anyone with any kind of special ability that would help with emergency repairs. Whether it's engineers, chemists, anyone with first aid, runners to distribute supplies, or any other special ability that would help out in the underground tunnels and fix some of the damage that's been done, anyone is welcome to help. And if you think it's just scientists who are needed, think again - magic is a well-known if not-well-understood facet of life in Riverview Quarantine, and some of this stuff works on a more arcane level than a mundane one.

And, of course, all of these brainiacs are going to need a little backup, so any bruisers to act as escort and protection are also welcome.

prompt iii: trapped in a...

Not everyone has the skills or desire to head out into the jungle and fight for the city, and that's perfectly fine. Inside the Quarantine walls, life is carrying on as normally as it can. That is, aside from the ongoing blackouts.

Wherever you might be in the city, you run a pretty decent risk of getting trapped somewhere for a short period of time. Whether it's trapped in an elevator, a tram car, a store, the housing you share with someone you barely know, or anywhere else in the city, it could happen to you. This could be the start of a beautiful friendship or a meet-cute to tell your grandkids about...at least, that is, if you get along with the person you're stuck with...

prompt iv: 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 new, free app is popping up on people's 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 v: wildcard

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

navigation

Comments

[kuyamu]

The omnics?

[ perhaps he shouldn't be so surprised; Genji had been newly forced into a cyborg body, essentially an omnic himself to look at him. it could be that there was kinship for him there, with the Shambali. it's reflexive of him to recoil, though, because for him and Genji both, their early childhood took place during the Crisis. they were raised to feel nothing but disdain for omnics, as most were. Hanzo has never before had cause to challenge that view.

he still doesn't, really, but he has no desire to start an argument about it. there are a great many things he and Genji could fight about, past and present differences, a dozen unsolved problems of their youth. the fact that Genji was able to find peace with himself isn't one of those things. ]

—No. [ it's said with a sharp shake of his head: an indication to disregard his outburst. instead, his voice softer and fiercely honest: ] I am glad, Genji.

[ he wants that to be known, before Genji eventually strikes him down. even if he can't admit that he's proud of his brother, too many years of conflict and seeing him as a disgrace, he can say this much. this is how things should be; Genji is alive and whole, and Hanzo has sunk like a stone with the weight of his sins, unsalvageable. better left to rot.

so although it's sincere — because of the context in which Hanzo means to say it, the words come out unusually grave. ]

[flackjacket]

[ lois doesn't take kindly to people telling her to shut up, but there's something about the way he holds himself, the tension in his shoulders and in his voice that keep her from giving a pithy answer, from telling him to back off. the elevator isn't large, but he's standing closer than he needs to. she's not entirely sure it isn't threatening, but it doesn't quite feel like it. ]

Are you all right? [ she asks instead of that pithy comment and instead of shutting up. she does at least drop her voice a little, pitching it not quite as low as his had been. ]

don't we all

[ettersberg]

[ one of the monsters comes around the corner and in complete silence, nightingale casts a spell, a flick of his wrist and the forma in his mind and a firewall hurdles toward the monster at high speed. it dies an agonising but near-immediate death and nightingale turns to taako again. it's all the answer he's willing to provide to the initial question of what else he's got.

lips pressing briefly together with a hint of displeasure, he comments: ] I'd prefer it if you could abstain from nicknames. [ pumpkin, really? ]

[ettersberg]

Consider this is.

[ the heads-up, that is. nightingale is not particularly keen to call out his shots before he takes them. it likely wouldn't make a difference with regard to the monsters, but the spell he intends to use is one that is cast in silence from the very beginning and doing anything else would not feel right, though he can understand the rationale of the request.

and so, a moment later, the forma in his mind and in silence, nightingale shoots off several fireballs in quick succession, each hitting one of the advancing monsters. ]

[ettersberg]

[ it's elegant, and there's a certain economy to it, to nightingale's movements now. he hasn't always been a soldier, but he did fight in wwii and his use of magic does not negate his inclination to be pragmatic. ]

I was intending to, yes. Unless there's any reason I shouldn't?

[ettersberg]

[ he isn't a watcher and he is no longer the member of anything remotely comparable to a council, being the only remaining member of the folly after the war decimated its numbers in a myriad of ways—and there is peter now, his apprentice, who is never afraid to challenge his word views. nightingale has learned a great deal in teaching peter, too. ]

I think I'll prefer remaining at a distance, personally.

[ it's still quite the impressive answer. ]

[ettersberg]

2016.

[ given nightingale's attire, accent and mannerisms all should seem familiar to peggy and old-fashioned to someone actually from 2016, this may be a surprising answer. nightingale himself hadn't quite imagined he would live to see the new millennium, certainly not like this. ]

Given our presence here, it's hardly that strange a question, though with different universes, I'm not sure how useful the comparison might be.

the universal dream

[spellslots]

[Taako watches the display seemingly without a care in the world, leaning on the umbra staff as the lizard goes up in flames. It's not too dissimilar to his own fireball spell, so until proven otherwise he's going to assume that Nightingale's magic works like his own.]

Well you didn't give me your name! I mean I can make a guess if you're real set on avoiding nicknames, but it's not my strong suit.

[snkt]

No.

[ he hasn't heard of her or of whatever the lattice is. he also doesn't think he's much of a syral, if only because the name isn't all that common as far as he's concerned.

so "no" it is. he takes a deep drag from his cigar and puffs out the smoke in almost-rings. seems he's content to leave it at no. ]

[snkt]

[ logan doesn't bother hiding that one corner of his mouth curves up into something that's almost an amused smile. that almost-fall and scrambling was a little funny, honest. ]

Sure.

[ he's a talkative one. ]

[usandthedead]

[ Her reaction speaks to Rick's hero complex. It also makes him concerned that she's been injured in some way, maybe bitten by the Walker, which is survivable, but only just barely, in his experience. They need to act fast if that's the case though. And if Rick can help in that regard, he will, in spite of the knowledge that she used magic to raise the dead... never a good thing no matter how it's done.

After a quick glance around to make sure they're momentarily safe, he leans down closer to her. He doesn't touch her because he doesn't want to freak her out any more than he clearly already has. He thinks of Lizzie Samuels, the girl with them during their stay at the prison who had tried to treat the Walkers like they were people. His world really messes people up. But the thought of Lizzie makes him try to treat this moment with kid gloves, while still taking care of the living, not the dead. ]

Hey. You alright? You been bit? Let me see if I can help.

[inebriety]

[Fine, when it comes to certain things, he is very predictable.]

You're not? We're a very handsome lot you know.

[inebriety]

[He hasn't been okay in years, but he's functioning which is all anyone could ask for.]

I'm no worse than I've always been. Why? Have we met?

[Tony thinks he'd remember if they're the type to show concern.]

do u want iron patriot is that what ur saying

[inebriety]

If you're in a rush I'd recommend going out through the ceiling otherwise sit down fake Steve and you can tell me why you look like him. You're definitely not him since you haven't yelled at me yet.

[He pats the ground beside him as if that will make it more inviting.]

no >:C

[livingsymbol]

[Steve gives Tony a stern look, and he would yell, but Tony just said something and he doesn't want to feed into that trap.]

Fix the elevator. You can do it. Why are you giving up?

[keeponstrolling]

Yeah, yeah. Who you laughin' at? [he grumbles, but there's no real heat behind it. He takes a slow drag, and exhales contently. He flips the lighter teasingly up into the air in front of Logan with his other hand.]

You want this back or nah? Cause I'm always addin' to my collection of lighters I've bummed off strangers - 'specially if they've chucked it at me. You might never see it again. [It disappears up one trenchcoat sleeve, and Tommy winks. Not that Logan can see behind the shades, but it's the principle of it.]

[rouxgaroux]

Not always. But I think it minimizes it to an extent. Why're you so curious?

[greatcleavage]

Then you wouldn't really be going for comfort there, now would you? Comfort's more than just physical, after all. Take it from an adventurer. [Roy barely notices his armor any more, but nonetheless, his true comfort comes in knowing he's prepared for anything at a moment's notice.]

I

[greatcleavage]

[From around a corner comes a surprised yelp and the sound of crunching ice. Roy hadn't noticed one of the snakes as it wound its way down the tunnel floor, and now one of his boots is encased neatly.]

[He kicks at it with his other boot for a moment, then lowers his sword to begin jabbing at the ice -- carefully.] I feel like we should have had slightly more warning about certain potential dangers down here.

[kuyamu]

It is a convenient method, yes. Text conversations make up a large part of social interaction in the 21st century.

You may find yourself becoming familiar with it faster than you expected, if the same holds true here.

[burntbridges]

[Her shoulders are shaking as he approaches her, but the more she collects herself the more angry she starts to feel about the whole situation. Some part of her knows he's probably from a world that doesn't understand the delicate science of necromancy, but it just gets washed down in a sea of panicked hormonal rage that is just the perfect excuse for hiding how small and afraid she feels.]

You idiot! You could have gotten us both killed! You nearly scared me half to death, if I'd lost control- no one can fight a loose risen, they just kill and kill until they get tired and it takes days! Days! We might have lost half of the quarantine by then! If you'd just given me a moment to explain instead of flying off the handle-!

[Her eyes are streaming with tears during all of this, and at this point she starts scrambling to get a handkerchief from her bag and dry her eyes. She's shaking head to toe now from some overwhelming mixture of rage and fear and the dead person is still trying to get her attention. Abruptly she turns to look at the mangled corpse.]

Will you shut up, you pathetic little man. [It quiets him for a second, at least, but Letha really isn't handling this pressure very well.]

[ikols]

No.

[ That's so beyond what he knows Stark to be like, today of all days; prepped for longer than anyone else, making wry jokes about not being Icarus to fall out of the sky, that's what Tony has been doing. Not this ... wallowing.

Narrowing his eyes, Loki leans in and asks, ] When I didn't share a meal with you and you kicked up a fuss, which one was it?

[amelioraate]

[ That makes Tony laugh, something bitter in the voice as he mutters a command that has the black suit turning transparent, leaving Tony standing there in a shirt and jeans. Apparently. He shifts the flashlight so that Howard can see what he is doing and it is clear, with the twitch of his brow, that is totally going to let him try to figure this one out on his own.

No help from your adoptive son this time.]

Ah, nothing much really. Just raised me.

[ There is another sharp grin, amusement and resentment and something else buried under it all.]

Also, I feel like it is probably another universe as well as the future, but whatever. Tony Stark, nice to meet you, dad.

[morganknight]

[Well, let it never be said he'd done no good in the world.]

I know a couple of people who call themselves -- well, let's just say, 'ethical assassins'. Pruning the 'dead wood' of the world before it can rot any more and do it any more harm.

[morganknight]

[Morgan arches one eyebrow at the sight of that little performance, wishing belatedly he'd been watching on more metaphysical planes to try to get a feeling for what, exactly, she'd been trying to do.]

[He doesn't move from his lazy sprawl in a seat, but he does grin her way.] Not sure what you were trying to do, but looks like if you want to enchant me you'll have to settle for coy smiles instead of raw magical might.