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quaranmeme2017-12-18 08:58 pm
riverview: december 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 13 Character Slots available.
● Reserves are Open. Applications will be open from January 1st until January 7th.
● 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
Going into the last week of December, the city experiences an abrupt and unexpected dump of snow - several feet of it, in fact. Usually, it wouldn't be a big deal, since most people and most exploration teams could just hole up and ride out the storm and snowdrifts. And that's what most of the city is doing.
Unfortunately, this is the week that some of the Perimeter Guard Cadets have decided to go on their Winter Expedition - a sort of camping trip slash exploration expedition into the Abandoned City just outside the walls of the Inner City. While the goal wasn't to get too far away from the walls, with the snow starting up in force, the groups of Cadets have gotten turned around in the inclement weather and are stuck outside the walls, unable to return to the safety of the Inner City.
A general call has gone out to anyone willing to brave the snow and storm to rescue groups of Cadets between the ages of 12 and 17 who are trapped outside the walls in their camps.
During the last half of December, residents might start noticing the appearance of cute, trilling little birds with soulful eyes (very mild spoilers for the most recent Star Wars movie in the link) throughout the Quarantine. Perched on tree branches or the corners of awnings and eaves, they will keep multiplying in number until December 20th, when a positive swarm of them will come through the portal.
Welcome to the Quarantine, Porgs!
These little lovable birds (spoiler-free image) will be settling in to roost just about anywhere you can think of. Outside your window, inside your kitchen on top of your fridge, under your bed, or anywhere else. Whether residents consider them a nuisance or a potential new pet, they're bound to cause a stir. The Porgs will be out and about in the city until the end of December, when most of them will find their way back through the portal to whichever world they came from, though a little colony of them will remain in the City from now on. Porgs will be added along with domestic foxes and Pokémon as creatures that can be found or caught in the city as pets without the use of AP!
Some residents may remember that back in September, a love-drunk and confusion-spell-addled newlywed mage from Gramarye Magic Research let loose some pretty little fairy lights that trapped people in the city in little invisible bubbles until they kissed (and any kind of kiss would do). Well, the same slightly-less-newlywed but no less romantically-inclined mage happens to really, really enjoy the winter season, and thinks it's totally romantic. That particular sentiment is pretty common in the Quarantine - while Hygge is the celebration of familial love, the residents of the Quarantine all agree that that family often includes partners and lovers. Besides that, the folklore of mistletoe as being representative of love and friendship is something that the Quarantine has in common with the universes many residents inhabit.
So, as the last week and a half of December rolls around, residents around the Quarantine will see the result of the resident romantic trying to share a bit of Hygge love - small, glowing sprigs of mistletoe will be floating around the Quarantine, ready to trap people up and make them share a bit of affection. But how does it work?
Two or more characters walking under one of these glowing, floating sprigs will get stuck for one hour, trapped inside an invisible enclosure with an approximate three foot radius. The only options are to either wait out the hour, or to kiss! Characters will know they're meant to kiss, because part of the magic spell is the sudden and intense knowledge that they should kiss in order to break free. There is no compulsion to kiss, just the knowledge that that's how to get free. This time, instead of any kind of kiss working, there will be different types of kisses that will work to release the trapped residents depending on the color of mistleglow:
GREEN: FOREHEAD ● BLUE: HAND ● VIOLET: BUTTERFLY
Trapped residents will not know what kind of kiss will work for each color and may have to experiment before finding the right one.
Remember those Hygge Cabins that the City set up all along the banks of the river? Little cabins with enough space for a small kitchen, a table to eat at, and a lounge area in front of a fireplace, meant to be shared in celebration of familial love and found family during Hygge? Well, the sudden onslaught of snow that trapped the Cadets outside the city are also serving to isolate people who are in and around the cabins.
With the river nearby, the heightened humidity in the area of the beaches where the cabins are set up, the snowfall is even heavier than it is throughout the rest of the city. Anyone who's down by the water will find themselves quickly driven out of the open and into one of these cabins, whether it's inhabited or not! Whether these weather refugees are sharing a cabin by choice, after having a lovely dinner together, or unwillingly, in the form of an intruder on someone else's holiday or by being driven into the same cabin with a stranger, they're going to be snowed in for a while!
Whether your character is posting up a silly word game, 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.
Use the wildcard prompt to choose your own adventure and do whatever else you like in the setting!
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So, while Athelstan sank into the kiss with a flood of emotions built up for years and years, Ragnar pressed into it with excited aggression and curiosity. It didn't matter though, he felt Athelstan relax and all he wanted was more.
It was over far too quickly, something that Ragnar wasn't about to accept. He nudged Athelstan's cheek with his nose, his hand pushing through his hair to slip around to the nape of his neck, holding him close.]
So? [He mumbled the words against Athelstan's skin as he tilted his head further in an attempt to press a few kisses to his neck.
And suddenly they were no longer trapped. Ragnar almost felt disappointed.]
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He had been about to explain his desire for this to be a private affair as Ragnar's lips pressed to his neck, sending tingles along his neck and then down his spine. He brushed his fingers over the other's cheek, along his jawline and to the back of his head. ]
Take me somewhere private, Ragnar. [ And he hopes that the other wouldn't deny him that. ]
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Are you sure, priest? [He leaned back a little to look into Athelstan's eyes, even putting a hand on either side of his face so he could inspect him better.] Has the magic cursed you as well somehow?
[Now he just looked concerned for his friend. Still, he couldn't help but hopefully mention a 'private place' he knew of.] There are cabins?
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To kiss him, to have had sex with Judith... was he making a mockery of God and Christ to call himself a monk or let anyone call him priest?
He met Ragnar's eyes and his hands dropped to his shoulders, squeezing them. ]
It is no magic. A cabin would be fine. [ As long as it was empty. ]
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Come. [Ragnar said with a not of his head, gesturing towards the cabins set up for anyone to use. It was a short walk, not even a minute, and the first one they got to was unoccupied, a small fire flickering in the chimney. Ragnar went inside and went straight to the fire, taking a few of the chopped pieces of wood stacked close by to add to it.]
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[ Athelstan's teeth pressed into his own bottom lip, his ear burning out the way the other spoke into it. It isn't the first time he's felt that, Ragnar often had invaded his personal space. It felt different now.
He followed Ragnar the short distance and once they were in the cabin it was much warmer. He felt nerves starting to settle in. ]
You don't know how long I have made you wait. [ Made himself wait as well. ]
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You really mean to have sex with me? [He still couldn't believe it. Unhurriedly, he made his way over to Athelstan with calculated steps, idly toying with his lip like he was nervous as well, though he didn't look it. If anything, he looked more like a cat slowly approaching a wounded mouse, unconcerned with stealth or speed. He stopped in front of the monk and took a moment to straighten Athelstan's tunic, all his focus on it as if they weren't in the middle of a very important conversation. Athelstan knew Ragnar well enough to know that every movement, every word and every pause was deliberate. His eyes moved from his tunic to meet Athelstan's.] What about the vows you made to your god? The cele- celi- [He waved his hand, needing Athelstan to fill in the blank.]
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Celibacy.
[ There was a rueful smile. ]
I broke that vow with a woman already. [ Athelstan said softly. His transgressions with Judith were not something that made him proud but if he had done so with a woman who did not truly mean that much to him -- despite his words to her. Ragnar was who he always returned to. If he could have broken his vows for anyone it should have been him. It can be him.
In a way, Athelstan is not sure what it says of him and his vows that given the choice to remain in Wessex or return with Ragnar that he had chosen the pagans. Perhaps, that is the true break in his vows. ]
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[Not a lot surprised Ragnar. He wasn't that old and he'd far from seen or heard everything, but he was usually curious and not simply shocked. This... this shocked him.
He found himself grinning though, beaming with pride for his little monk.]
Wellll! Then congratulations are in order! Wait. You and Lagertha didn't have sex without me, did you?? [His smile falters slightly, though he can't help the hint of a smile that refused to completely dissipate.]
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I would never... [ It would feel like a betrayal and besides, he knew well enough that he would not be the sort of man that Lagertha would desire. She needed a viking warrior and he would never truly be that. ]
No. It was a woman in Wessex, she was married... [ It's his turn to give Ragnar an almost coy smile. ]
I left her and the King there for you.
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He propped himself up onto his elbows to peer over at Athelstan.] You... Had sex with the queen of Wessex? And her husband? And you left them for me?
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You misunderstand me. [ He clarified quickly. ]
I slept with the King's daughter in law. The King was a friend and a kindred mind to us both. It is a long story Ragnar. Perhaps, you don't want to know so much about the future.
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So. [He sat up, eyes raking over Athelstan out of sheer habit.] How was it? [Smirking, he waggled his eyebrows.] What did you think of sex? [Still smirking, he bit his lip, eyes going a little darker.]
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It was... different.
[ He smiles briefly. ]
It was only once. [ He goes to the bed then, sitting on the edge. ]
She thought that she loved me.
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'It was different'? Different? That's... all? Just different? [He cringed a little.] That's... mm.
[Naturally, he has to tilt his foot to tap Athelstan's side when the monk sits down, for no reason other than just because he can.
He thought back to his first time with Lagertha. It had been amazing, earth-shattering, mind-blowing. Certainly not something he would ever describe as 'different'. But, he had also loved her, deeply.
He didn't like having this conversation looking at Athelstan's back, so he turned and laid down again on his side, his head at the foot of the bed, propped up on one hand, just beside where Athelstan was seated.]
So, now your vow is broken. What does that mean? You are no longer a 'man of God'?
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If he had, he thinks that he would have stayed -- though, perhaps there had been love there but only there was already a love much stronger in his heart.
He looked over at Ragnar. ]
You're asking very many questions when you could be putting your mouth to other uses.
[ Still, he answers even though the question pains him somewhat and the answers seem to swirl in his head contradicting one another. ]
It is not so simple. I could ask Him for forgiveness and I could renew my vow. [ And yet, he's not sure that he wants that. Perhaps, in choosing to go back to Ragnar this time he could shed his vows as a monk. He could be a simple man and believe in his God and spend his life trying to make peace with believing that Thor and Odin and Frey and others might also be real. ]
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He sat up slowly, heart beating so loudly in his ears that he didn't really hear Athelstan's answer. Not listening didn't mean he kept his eyes off of Athelstan's lips as the monk spoke. At this point, he was sitting on the edge of the bed as well, but facing the opposite direction of Athelstan.
He leaned closer, putting his hand down on the bed to balance himself. Of course, where he chose to put his hand down was on the mattress in between Athelstan's thighs. A completely innocent choice. Obviously. Staring intently into Athelstan's eyes, he tilted his head and leaned in, brushing his lips over Athelstan's lightly.]
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Athelstan's eyes close when their lips touch again, almost sighing into the kiss. There's still the instinct that comes with years of being committed to his vows to pull away to shun this pleasure. But he had come this far, had he not? Would God truly deny him this happiness?
He reached up, his hand moving to touch the other's neck around to the back of it, gripping firm. Ragnar's skin is warm and not at all soft like Judith's had been. Nothing about Ragnar was anything like her. Again, it would be different but it would be more too.
There's a hunger in his kiss, still a bit of shyness, awkwardness that comes with inexperience but he presses forward with it. He grips the other's neck, fingertips curling into his skin, urging Ragnar to help him, to guide him in this. ]
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He'd brushed his lips over Athelstan's, a kiss, but barely. The first step set up so Athelstan could take the next. Once he did, he was immediately rewarded. Ragnar parted his lips to deepen the kiss, making a soft, quiet noise of approval, a hum that made his lips tingle even more.
His own eyes were closed as he tried to patiently let Athelstan build the kiss in intensity. Tilting his head further, he flicked his tongue along Athelstan's lips lightly, testing the waters. With an equally light touch, he turned his hand slightly, slowly running his thumb along the inseam of Athelstan's pants and moved to card his free hand into his hair with another soft hum.]
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Even when he had been in Wessex, Ragnar had been a constant companion to him, even if only in his imagination.
And now, they're crossing the line that for so long Athelstan had drawn between them. It felt so arbitrary now. And perhaps, when not in the heat of the moment, his crisis of faith would return to the forefront but he could think of nothing but the way Ragnar kissed him. A sound, something near a moan leaves him when the other's tongue teases against his lips, which parted in response.
The sensations are consuming, the light and slow press of Ragnar's thumb, sending tingling pleasure, a coil of heated arousal to his length. With his one hand on Ragnar's neck he isn't sure exactly where to put his other hand and he rests it on the other's thigh. ]
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The hold on Athelstan's hair tightens as well, tugging him closer, turning the kiss bruising, something heated and desperate.
He has to breathe though, but he isn't willing to stop, so he once again pulls on Athelstan's hair, breaking the kiss as he tipped his head back like he had under the mistletoe. Panting heavily, he moved to Athelstan's neck, a mix of kissing, sucking, licking, and the drag of teeth.]
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He gasps for breath when the other's lips move to his neck, though his lips still felt the aftermath of the kiss. Fingers tightened on Ragnar's thigh when the other started to attack his neck. The shocks of pleasure when Ragnar found patches of skin with his teeth and tongue that seemed directly connected to his cock. ]
Ragnar [ The name is breathy and an exhalation rather than the start of a thought. His hand slid from Ragnar's neck over his shoulder and feeling the strength of his arm as he touches him in a sort of exploration. ]
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Not pulling away from Athelstan won out until he also wanted more. He wanted to move lower, trace along Athelstan's collarbone and see what other reactions he could elicit in the monk.
With a lot of reluctance, he pulled back slightly, tilting his head to press a quick reassuring kiss to the corner of Athelstan's mouth as he let his hair go.] Your tunic. [He pointed out quietly before he turned and got to off the bed onto his feet. The knit sweater was easily shrugged off, the cuirass was more of a pain. He tried to make quick work of the leather ties that ran up the side of it, but there was no quickly removing the article of clothing.]
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His heart is still racing when Ragnar pulls away. He drops his hands away from him and it's quickly clear why he had so he couldn't complain about the loss of contact.
Athelstan watches Ragnar, though he makes quick work of his own tunic, setting it aside and his eyes resting on Ragnar then. He waited a moment as the other works on the leather ties before he stands and moves to assist him. His face might be flushing ever so slightly as he does so without asking. ]
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Athelstan. [It was his turn to breathlessly say the other man's name. He bit his lip and then seemed to remember he was supposed to be taking his shirt off. Right. He pulled the last few ties loose and started to tug on his sleeves to loosen them before raising his arms up so Athelstan could help him work the shirt off.
The scar that wrapped around his shoulder looked the same as ever, an old injury even when he'd first met Athelstan. The injuries he'd gotten from Earl Haraldson's raid on his farm and their subsequent fight, however, looked like they had very recently scarred over, the mark from the arrow that had narrowly missed hitting his heart and the large cut that went from just below his ribs diagonally up and across his chest.]
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