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quaranmeme2017-07-20 08:17 am
riverview: july 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!
● There are currently 5 Character Slots available.
● Applications open on August 1st and will remain open until such time as there are 30 or more character slots available at one time. Applications will be processed on a first-come-first-served basis. Any applications in excess of available spots will be placed in a queue and processed as drops or activity sweeps happen.
● 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, and may continue while applicants are waiting on the queue (including spanning multiple TDMs).
● 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
So you thought that the impending summer and the great weather meant the end of the stormy spring season? Not so much. Just like the storm back in February, though, this one isn't exactly natural.
Early in the morning on July 20th, the portal switches to a different reality, and almost immediately, an ominous greenish mist starts to seep through. Though the Perimeter Guard tries to contain the spread, it's next to impossible to stop an intangible foggy mist, and as it rises, it contaminates the clouds. By the early afternoon, a storm is brewing. As the rain falls, it's the same musty, unnatural green as the mist, and it quickly becomes obvious that the rain burns any living creature like acid. Thankfully, it's very mild acid - a few minutes of exposure will only result in non-living biological matter disintegrating, like hair, fingernails, and the outer layer of horns. But stay out in it much longer than that, and any exposed skin will start to itch and peel and then burn and sting like a bad sunburn. Feel safe with your umbrella or raincoat? Good luck, because stay out in the rain for more than 15 minutes and it will start to erode even synthetic fabric and plastic, though it seems completely ineffective against metal, stone, glass, and plant matter like leaves and wood.
Unless you're really creative, the only safe places are indoors, under the eaves of buildings, inside vehicles with solid tops, and anywhere else with a solid roof - hope you're sharing the closest hidey-hole with someone you really like!
Unfortunately, while most of the electricity in the city runs through metal wires, a few key components of the power grid involve synthetics like plastic and other materials. About 25 minutes into the storm, right when these materials start to be eroded away by the acid rain, rolling power outages start to occur at random in the city. While the whole city isn't affected and the fences remain at full power, many places will suffer a complete drop in power. As the storm intensifies, the temperature starts dropping until it goes from a nice warm summer day to something distinctly chillier.
Here's hoping your characters can keep themselves warm and entertained until all the digital comforts of the modern world return - time to break out the candles, board games and cards, or swap some stories. And maybe swap some body heat.
Bonus: there is a ton of free ice cream being handed out before it melts? Not helpful?
Thankfully, with all the genius minds in the city, someone was quick to come up with a solution after a couple hours of examining an acid rain sample. It's pretty rushed, but as the storm clouds coalesce into a sickly green-and-charcoal swirl in the sky, an experimental machine is put together that will blast a compound into the sky that will nullify the acid storm. It only takes a short time to put several more units together, and then the Perimeter Guard is recruiting heavily through every channel available for teams to take the devices out into the woods so they can be aimed properly to shoot their payload into the clouds.
Teams can consist of anywhere from two to six people, one of which should be a driver, and the rest of which will be needed to help clear any fallen trees. These teams will be fitted with coveralls and helmets that will (hopefully) protect them from the rain while they're outside of the vehicle.
Two canisters full of the compound straight into the eye of the storm clouds are expected to clear up the ever-building thunderhead clouds and stop the rain, but more definitely won't hurt.
Isn't going out into the woods dangerous? Oh. Right. It definitely is. Each team of explorers trekking out into the forest is going to need some protection. A call is also going out to the general population requesting that anyone who is a strong, experienced fighter please accompany the teams out into the forest to protect them from monsters that are willing to risk the rain in search of a lightly acid-tenderized exploration team shaped meal.
The protection teams should expect most of the danger to come in the form of giant, ravenous monsters that look like either massive elk or boars, and seem completely immune to the rain - probably because their backs are protected by thick layers of grass, moss, tiny saplings, and thick slabs of bark. With their backs all coated in moss and grass, they're also well-camouflaged in the murky green fog and rain, so they seem to appear out of nowhere, bellowing and trying to either spear the teams with their horns and tusks, or eat them whole.
Armed with super stylish full-body suits that should (theoretically) protect them from the ravages of the acid rain, these fighters are exactly the muscle the exploration teams need.
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.
Friendr base code is by photosynthesis.
The code in the textbox is for the default color scheme, but the Friendr app has a wide variety of themes, so feel free to customize with colors and patterns as you see fit, but do not remove the credit line out of respect for the creator of the code.
Whether or not this month's mission solution is actually threaded out on the Test Drive Meme, the acid rain will let up in the late evening of the 20th. Blackouts will continue for a few days afterward, and there will need to be considerable time spent cleaning up the city in preparation for this month's celebration. Feel free to thread out any of that, or use the wildcard prompt to choose your own adventure and do whatever else you like in the setting!
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[Worst case scenario, he could be of assistance in that means. He doesn't have supplies to last them all, but he could get them, one at a time, to their own homes. On that, he'll keep mum for now.]
[The Earl presents and interesting point. He glances over at him from under his hair, unconcerned when a lock slips aside to show the color of one eye beneath it.] This came from a pot what's been sitting on something they call a burner. Doesn't look like a burner to me, just a disk of metal, but it gets hot enough. [He holds his silence again, in thought, for a moment more and reaches across the table for one of the little wooden stirring utensils.]
Isn't everyone? They're just more used to this technology than we are.
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As for the weather, Ciel has at least resigned himself to waiting it out. It isn't as if he has anywhere to go now anyway except perhaps back to his apartment to curl up under a blanket to keep the chill from coming back.
He had been planning on announcing Funtom soon, the candy finally tasted right and had been approved for sale. Whatever is going on though is much more important, his own business could wait.]
It works, at least. Odd as it is. [Odd as everything is.
He almost comments on Undertakers eye but chooses not to. With people already close by, he doesn't want to draw attention when Undertaker is clearly still hiding them.]
Well- yes. They can at least adjust without help. Or with less help. Do you recall about a year ago, the moving picture they made? Apparently they make them more frequently now. There's... a lot we missed.
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[At last, the tea seemed like it had been soaked through long enough and he took a napkin from one of the small dispensers and set the bag upon it after squeezing as much water from it as he could with his long nails.]
It's not an easy thing to get my head around, that's for sure. Just like that thing they call a phone. They've got all the moving pictures you could ever want there, I'd say. Five years, we'll be stuck here, if they don't find a way to send us home first. [He shakes his head and looks to the windows again.]
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He wouldn't mind trying to see one at some point but that means finding a place that shows them. Or sells them. Maybe John would help with that.]
Five years. [He makes a face. Ciel can't achieve his goals here but he's not sure what he'd go home to either. Not with...
He takes the tea bag from his cup and squeezes it out.] Do you believe them? That we needed a new place and that's why we're here?
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[A pity.]
I believe that's what I thought just before I found myself here, but do I believe that's why our new government or this portal or whatever has it brought us here? Not in the least, and I know at least one other who thinks that. He's a smart man, for that anyway. [He turned his head back in the Earl's direction, not quite looking at him.] Something tells me you're not sure of it either.
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I'm not sure at all. I admit, I thought it briefly before leaving England. [It's the nicer way of putting their kidnapping.] Yet I had no intention of running away from such a trifle.
[It isn't a smaller matter for him but he doesn't admit defeat easily. If ever.] It raises the question of how they or the portal can identify anyone who feels out of place.
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[He set the cup down again and put one end of the wooden stirring stick between his teeth to chew on for a moment.]
Neither did I. So they explained it as if it didn't matter just how serious you thought about it, just that you did. I can't believe in all our world, we were the only two ever to have such a fleeting thought, or that we'd ever be so special in all the worlds this place can see to be pulled here. Myself, I'd like to know not only how they know our thoughts, but how they choose victims.
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How did they differentiate feeling out of place and wanting to be somewhere else? Who would really want to start a life from scratch?]
I can guarantee we aren't the only ones from amongst our various associates.
[He takes a sip of his own tea, letting it warm his chest. There are definitely more flavorful blends out there.]
I'd like to know that myself.
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Oh, we're not. We most certainly aren't. But we've got little to do about it but wait and see what happens from here. Seems there's a bit to do with an abandoned city not far from here, but I don't know much about it yet. This though... [He tilts his head, indicating the rain still pouring down outside.] Not a clue.
[He tilts his head again, this time glancing down at the boy's hands. He hadn't missed that scratching earlier.] That still bother you?
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A shame Sullivan isn't here. She'd likely already be studying the rain and portal. [The 'emerald witch' would find the entire situation more fascinating than troubling, he's sure.]
Hn? [He glances up and then back at his hands, trying not to sigh. More at himself, then looks back up.] A bit. They keep itching.
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[He does, however, glance down at those hands again before he goes back to his tea.] Don't think I need to mention to keep an eye on that. Or maybe I do. [He grins, widely.] Still no butler around to keep you safe, is there?
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It would be easier, convenient, but Sebastian would never come here and he knows it. What new home, new life, could he want or need after all?]
I don't need the reminder. [Except maybe he does. He's never had to deal with something like this before. Maybe when he was younger and they would wander too far playing and find themselves tangled in poison. Never caused by rain though.]
And no. Sebastian isn't here. [Stubbornly:] I can manage without him.
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[He likes that. He really does.]
Well, well. Of all people to end up here because they felt out of place, if that's even accurate, someone like him is nowhere to be found. [As if he needed reason to suspect they were here for more than just thoughts of "Oh, I don't think I should be here anymore."]
What's it been? Two weeks? Little more? You're not dead yet, so I suppose you can manage.
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They're just to far probably. And nothing can help that.]
At least two weeks. [He answers, reluctant.] I've survived worse without him. This place has food that is basically a meal you need only heat. [He makes a face. It's horrible but it's food. And he's definitely had worse than that as well.]
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[He doesn't believe half of that and makes no real effort to hide it.] Oh? Funny, that.
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And how is that funny? [He has only questions now and Undertaker is being cryptic. Or, it seems cryptic to him. What is he supposed to figure out?]
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[He turns his head toward the boy, relentless.] You surviving worse before that butler came along is what. What about your life was so bad it made you smile like you did then, eh?
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I'm not naive. [What good does the earldom do him here?
He shrinks a bit. Smiling... had been so much easier back then. Of course Undertaker would remember that.]
That wasn't what I meant. [Softly.]
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[He folds arms over his chest and looks out at the windows again.] You've still got a long way to go, if you can make it that far.
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If I were quick, I doubt he would have offered the contract. He must have expected work to be put into this.
[Ciel finally looks back up and watches him.] Haven't got much of a choice here, have I?
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Is that really what you think demons are all about? [He'd said it in such a way that it might be taken as serious curiosity or snark.] If it is, and no, you don't have a choice yet, then you do have a lot to learn. Hm.
[He took gave his empty tea cup a nudge back closer to the middle of the table and settled in his seat again, but this time it was the boy who had his focus.]
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It's probably not a can of worms he wants to open but the weather is still chilly and miserable, and he's miserable with that same cold an ditching hands. So he eventually asks-] What if he after then? He's had chances to just take what's he's wanted, he never needed to offer the contract but he did. I was weak and tired and alone.
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Far be it for me to know his motivations. Maybe he was bored with what he was getting, maybe he likes the taste of damned souls better. But that's what he wants. That's the price of every demon contract. One soul.
[Then, almost as an afterthought.] Do you have that phone device they gave us when we got here with you?
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"He doesn't look very choice to me."
He probably isn't but Sebastian is putting work into this, maybe that makes it all the more appetizing, the work put into a 'meal.' How should be know? Why would he expect Undertaker to know? Ciel hasn't considered his soul worth anything in years.]
Mmhm, I keep it with me all the time. Just in case. [Just in case what, he doesn't know but it's there in his pocket and he'll set it on the table in case Undertaker needs to use it.]
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[He lifts a finger and points to the phone, opting not to take it and try to figure a whole new device out all over again to get to this network that connects them all, even if it does look almost identical to his own.] Anything on that that might explain what's been going on out there just now?
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