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

[yokunaru]

[His lips quirk up with humor. Not really one for many words, is she? Not that he minds, really.]

Ah, I'm Yuuri, by the way. According to the orientation video, we're all going to be stuck here in Riverview for some time. We'll probably run into each other again, if we're both staying in this building.

[genice]

( Dirty work, no matter the name. Exterminations weren't pleasant business even when what you were exterminating didn't fight back.

Still, dealing with alternate realities in a real sense like this is still unnerving. He buries that thought deep in his heart, letting himself only focus on the here and now. Yuri is only spared the inevitable hug coming his way because Victor prioritises better than most would believe: then again, take him out of the element of his sport, and he's had to adjust just as much as anyone else. Adjustments that include paying attention to his surroundings and companions, enough so that when Yuri is slowing down, Victor does the same. He doesn't ask what it is Yuri senses; he turns his face to have an eye on Yuri, keeping his own back not so subtly turned toward the smooth face of the wall on this side of the tunnel. )

Yuri.

( He pitches his tone conversational, low but not a murmur; it doesn't carry far. It doesn't need to. )

Have you run into a great number of secondary vent systems in these tunnels, by any chance?

[genice]

( He chuckles, pulling his head back to look toward his best friend. Makkachin tosses his head up and taps his feet impatiently against the floor; Yuuri moves more quickly than Viktor does, but it's far from a hardship to reach out and take his hand to be pulled up onto his feet.

Moreso because he shifts his grip on Yuuri's hand so that they're holding hands afterward, lips quirked into something self-amused. If he can get away with it, he's walking them both toward the door and the leash hanging off to the side. )

Do we even own any bags to bring along? This is as bad as catching up after two continents worth of jetlag.

( He lets go of Yuuri's hand (if he's kept it this long), reluctant but efficient as he unhooks the leash and attached collar, buckling both around Makkachin's neck. His dog squirms at the delay, licking at Viktor's arm before whirling around to nose the door. Out? He laughs, obliging his canine by opening the door and letting the poodle take the lead. Stepping out into the hall, he waits for Yuuri to close the door — holding out his hand to him once again, just in case. )

[followhim]

Huh, interesting. Not used to space? You're missing out, buddy.

[he watches victor work, wanting to help but also not wanting to interfere when he doesn't 100 percent know what he's looking at. but just in case, he gets closer to the doors.]

Any luck with that? Think we could pry them open?

[genice]

So I've been informed. I'm from a pre-space travel Earth. It's simply not common.

( he manages to get a hold on the panel, shifting forward to rest on his knees and get as good a grip as he can manage. it's still tenuous; he grunts, pulling on the panel and hearing it give just as he ends up sitting back hard on his heels, panel clattering down into his lap. there's a series of cables beyond the panel cover, Victor blinking at what he can make out. )

Well, now we've got something to try and use to pry them far enough apart to use our hands.

( he's not messing with the wires, so instead he holds up the solid metal panel with an amused sort of grin. )

Worth a shot?

[genice]

( He doesn't seem phased by the blatant once over, but it's less being entirely at ease and more used to the same for all his adult life. For different reasons, ranging from being a public figure to being rated and evaluated by competition: here he figures it has more to do with competency.

Something that Crow's phrasing seems to back, though why trip over the details that cease mattering once they've reached a mutual purpose? (Victor. Really.) )

Victor Nikiforov. Good running into you, Crow!

( Markedly different from the last man named Crow he'd run into, but that's helped by the lack of animal parts. That and names not being so unique that people don't share them fairly often.

He starts off, referencing his mental map of this place and veering toward the tunnel that leads back towards one of the checkpoints up to the surface streets. )

Have you been in Riverview for long?

( Days, months, years; maybe a whole lifetime. He's run into all sorts in his brief time here so far. )

[genice]

"We might pick up a larger group moving out." Or they might not; in the end that changes nothing about their present circumstances. "At least we'll know the route!" He flashes another smile at Cloud, falling silent and cocking his head to the side as something thuds in the tunnels behind them. His expression sobers, pace staying even.

It could be nothing. It could be something. Panicking on their end didn't mean making better decisions than in more calmly handling whatever came flying their way.

"Ah, here I am, forgetting my manners," he says instead, turning his face forward and straining his ears. "My name's Victor Nikiforov. Who do I have the pleasure of playing escort for this tunnel run?"

[yokunaru]

[With nothing more than a prickle of heat in his cheeks, Yuuri slips his hand into Viktor's.]

We can pick up bags at the market, if you're that worried. [Makkachin startles a laugh out of him when he circles around him, almost getting his legs tangled up in the leash.] And treats for Makkachin while we're at it.

[His thoughts turn to the tribble sitting harmlessly on the bed in their new shared apartment.] You know, we never did figure out what Kon actually eats.

[genice]

Doesn't hurt to have one or two around in addition to what we need for Makkachin.

( doggie doody bags being what they... are...

Viktor thinks this problem of Kon over while Makkachin straightens himself out, glad now that they're on the move. He smiles at his dog's simple enthusiasm, giving Yuuri's hand a light squeeze. There's enough he can appreciate in his oldest friend's outlook on life even after the insanity of months in space to... well, the relative normalcy of this new insanity.

Plus the dustbunny problem. )

Or how Kon does anything. It moves, it purrs, it... exists. Somehow.

( It baffles Viktor to this day. )

Did I ever tell you the veterinarians I took him too on the fleet couldn't figure any of it out either? One wanted to suggest Kon converted light, something like a plant. Want to take the stairs?

( Not a question without merit. Seventh floor or not, the elevators were still prone to going dark if the blackouts hit their building unexpectedly. Stairs got dark, but they didn't prevent movement. )

a different prompt i, crau style (i do what i want)

[leaderboards]

[ carolina's got a pistol, but does she really need a pistol? honestly, she's more likely to lose it if she's actively using it, so keeping it on the magnetic lock at her thigh is probably safest. which means that she's in the middle of breaking a lizard's neck with the heavy boot of her armour when she hears a noise behind her that sounds more human-shaped than lizard.

but it's a familiar sight when she turns and carolina has to admit she's glad to see it, a tilt to her helmeted head and an amused tone when she speaks. ]

These things are almost small, aren't they?

[ compared to the aliens on oros, she means. ]

[inebriety]

[Tony stumbles, but manages to keep the meagre contents of his stomach inside although it is a near thing. Perhaps that is a benefit of a mostly liquid diet or practice makes perfect. Anthony rushes off to explore, and Tony watches his ghostly form run before gently extricating himself from Loki's grip.

Loki's very attractive and all, but he's not that crazy.

As queasy as he still feels, his priority will always run towards drinking first. He heads towards the kitchenette, checking their bottles to find something decent to drink.]

I'm sure they'll catch up in no time. Either that or die trying.

[One bottle evidently suits his needs and he carefully uncorks it before pouring himself a generous glass.]

[inebriety]

[He still doesn't know who this man is supposed to be, but from that he knows that Sam doesn't run in his social circles, but his familiarity suggests he's talked to a Tony. Perhaps a superhero in his own right or someone related to SHIELD.]

We're going to raise spoiled brats. [A sigh.] Do you think Steve or Thor would be the better godfather?

wanda don't give him the stink eye :c

[inebriety]

[Tony says again like he's met more than one version of people he knows when his dead corpse and Peter Parker are the extent of it. Unless you count peeping at other universe's with Reed before he went crazy.]

Does this mean I get to be ambassador for my world? This would almost be as nice as getting to be vp.

[He is never getting that position, but Tony can dream.]

BECAUSE HE'S THE WORSTTTTTT

[inebriety]

You're very nice. [Tony looks really upset about it. He's not going to cry, but the fact crushes him.]

I'll do what I can for you.

[He shuffles forward a few steps and nudges Steve to lead the way.]

[spellslots]

continued here!

[wingedman]

I've only met Thor, like, once, but I'd have to say Steve. Unless the Steve in your world is way different from every other Steve out there.

[Which is definitely a possibility.]

And I think he'd probably be kinda hurt if we picked Thor over him, and Steve has this whole kicked puppy look going on when he's disappointed. Well. Mine does, I don't know so much about the other one. Or yours, if he's kicking around somewhere.

it is a look of concern. she is v. concerned okay.

[divulsion]

...I suppose it does make you the ambassador? Sole representative? And aren't you CEO in your world?

[She's thinking of Stark Industries, which she supposes he's not CEO of anymore in her world but it's the only kind of VP she can think of.]

This tag WHY

[livingsymbol]

What?

[That response surprises Steve. He's not ready for Tony, any Tony, to come out with that painfully depressing reaction to him. If anything, Tony should be angry. He should really be smiling, but that seems so far from a possibility Steve doesn't know what to do.

So he takes Tony's hand and leads him that way.]

I'm not nice. I'm trying to help everyone here, just like you want to.

[Because he firmly believes Tony does want to. And he firmly pulls him along as well.]

Things will look better once we get the power on.

[inebriety]

[Oh Billy, if only you knew.]

Everyone's still okay?

[Although he figures that if they've managed to inspire a new generation, things had to be good.]

[inebriety]

[Tony is going to stare at Sam like he's grown another head. He was Steve's biggest supporter, but even he would be hard pressed to say that Steve could pull off a kicked puppy look.]

I was going to say my best friend or America's greatest man, but now I have to ask. How does that much rippling muscle pull off a kicked puppy look?

he hasn't done anything!

[inebriety]

[He's going to laugh at that behind the screen.]

Of course I am. I'm talking about a nation, not one little company.

[Of course only he would refer to a multinational conglomerate as 'little'.]

[wingedman]

You'd be surprised, man. It's something he does with his eyes.

[Sam's sure Tony will find out for himself if they ever make it out of this elevator.]

I mean, they could have two godfathers, anyway. Nothing wrong with breaking with tradition.

because i'm a good person who ruined it right after

[inebriety]

[Tony sort of goes limp and lets Steve lead them wherever he wants. Left to his own devices, he would have draped himself over Steve at the first chance he got when he knows it would be appropriate, but now he's at a loss when someone else initiates contact first.]

I'm a selfish bastard who's only in this to pick up women. [Talking helps him regain his emotional balance and his voice which starts off slightly hoarse, clears up as he goes.] You should show me where the bar is after this so we can get laid. I'll show you how to go after unmarried women. If you're into that sort of thing as well.

[bewreaks]

[ Crow nods with a hum of acknowledgement, demeanor having shifted from something critical to more affable. It helps that the name has piqued his curiosity. There's a familiarity to it; not so much the name itself, more the way it sounds.

It's a curiosity he briefly keeps to himself as he moves to fall into step next to Victor, posture deceivingly relaxed for how alert and attuned to their surroundings he actually is. ]

Not really. About two weeks, give or take. [ Then again his sense of time is rather skewed after spending decades stuck in a burnt down laboratory so he could be way off. But that hardly matters, it's not important. More interestingly ... ]

Are you from Moscovia? Your name sounds Moscovian.

[ It's unlikely given that so far there's been nobody who has even heard of his world much less has come from it, but hey. There's always the possibility. ]

[ikols]

[ It's a weird thing to do, air-lifting an Avenger (or their parody) to safety because she's concerned about them screwing up when she herself has a job to do with the rest. Ordinarily it would be Stark putting Loki in time-out.

Some things about Being Better these days really feel bad. ]

Um, sure. [ Ah, there goes Ivar's evening drink. Whatever the Viking likes to throw back will surely be strong enough for the ailing mortal's tastes. ] So ... I have five minutes to kill. What's your Loki like?