riverview: june 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!

● There are currently 47 Character Slots available.
● Reserves are currently OPEN. Applications are currently CLOSED and will open on August 1st at 10:00 pm EST.
● 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 ● exploration progress report ● ask a question ● calendar ● navigation

prompt i: crab carnival

After the unveiling of the newly cleaned-up amusement park, it's been going strong, open to the public and seeing heavy traffic flow from residents of the City. After all, it's been a while since a new attraction opened in Riverview. Slowly but surely, the people in charge of the park have been keeping it open later and later into the evening, testing the strength of the wall and trying to see how many monsters the bright lights and cheerful music and chattering crowds draw.

And it's all seemed to be just perfect - until the middle of June. It started with a few little critters, mostly the size of toy poodles and vaguely crablike, they skittered around the bottom of the laser fences, testing the strength of it. And then more of them started coming. By the 20th, there are probably hundreds of little toy poodle sized crab critters prodding at the fence, making a racket and making the guests nervous. Not a huge deal, not at first.

But apparently toy poodle sized crabs are really delicious, because predators have started coming over to the fence to feed on them. Between the horde of crab-critters and the marauding predators, there's starting to be a dangerous buildup of pressure against the fences.

The Perimeter Guard is putting out a call for anyone willing to help disperse the horde, and the owners of the amusement park are throwing in vouchers for free passes to the park (and all the fun rides!) for anyone who takes up the call. Care to join?

prompt ii: scavenger hunters

The amusement park isn't only the place where pint-sized monster pests are showing up - they're everywhere. Inside the city, they're a little smaller but far more insidious, and almost impossible to get rid of on a large scale. After a bit of consideration, the Government, in cooperation with the Perimeter Guard, has decided to set up a little competition to help with a bit of pest control. A scavenger hunt!

From the 20th of June until the 20th of July, the Government will be offering a reward to anyone who can prove they have 'taken care of' 5 or more each of the four pests causing mayhem in the city - a mildly-poisonous leathery-winged reptile that feeds on eyeballs, a mutated rat-like creature that likes to nest in the hair of sleeping people and animals and has a high-pitched scream that can cause disorientation, a beautifully sparkly delicate moth-like creature that causes intense mood swings through pheromones and hormones, and a creature that looks exactly like the standard domesticated foxes many residents keep as pets but who spit fire when angry.

The reward for bringing in proof of taking out 5 of each of these pests will be around 250 Units, or a gift or gift certificate of equivalent value.

Perimeter Guard Captain Anali Apple has released a statement regarding this challenge: 'And to all the animal lovers out there, if you've got a problem with killing these guys, then by all means go gather them up before they get killed. We'll reward people who catch and release, long as they're not in the city.'

prompt iii: riverview's got talent!

Welcome to Riverview Quarantine! What's your talent?

Everyone who arrives in the Quarantine gets a short interview to try to place them in an appropriate job, but this month it's a little different. With Carnivale and its focus on creative performances right around the corner, the Orientation teams are asking an extra question - do you want to join a talent show? Characters new and old are invited to attend and perform in the Riverview's Got Talent show on a large stage in the city center, performing any kind of talent they might have, from singing to dancing to art to martial arts to magic or anything else you can imagine! After the performances, there will be free refreshments and a meet and greet so performers can get some feedback on their performance (please be kind!).

Since new characters or players may feel a bit shy jumping in on this one, there will be a mod-posted subthread for existing players to post up a quick description of a performance their character might put on for new arrivals to respond to. Any existing players should keep their top-levels to this prompt and this sub-thread, and only new characters should be responding to them - if you want to play out talent show performances and interactions with two characters already in the game, please post it on the logs community.

prompt iv: random romances

Residents new and old might notice advertisements going up around the city for a brand new restaurant - the Blind Date Café. A pioneering concept by a born romantic in the city, the Café is a concept business where it's Dragosta (the celebration of romantic love) all year around! Singles, or people who are into polyamory, can come to the Café and tell the host/ess what their romantic preferences are (gay, straight, bisexual, asexual, etc.) and be seated at complete random with someone else at the Café who has compatible preferences. Once the random pairing is seated, they can order from a pretty standard restaurant menu at one of the lovely flower-and-candle adorned tables with a complimentary glass of wine each (for the first 100 customers!) and share a nice romantic meal.

Paired up with someone you don't get along with? That's just fine. You can totally take your meal to go. Paired up with someone you really like, and you both decide to go on a second date? Both meals are on the house!

And what about people who just aren't into romance? Well, thankfully one of the preferences you can pick is 'platonic,' in which case you'll be sat with someone who might just be your new best friend...or your future worst enemy! Who knows?

New arrivals to the city (as played on the TDM) will receive a voucher to the Blind Date Café with their welcome to the city, entitling them to a free meal.

prompt v: friendr/network

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.

Code to post your character's bio is in the textbox below. An example of how it looks can be found here.

<br><center><table style="width:300px;"><tr style="border-bottom:1px dashed #528887;"><td></td> <td style="padding:20px; padding-bottom:0; width:300px; font:38px Helvetica, Tahoma, sans-serif; text-transform:uppercase; color:#c4c4c4; text-align:center; letter-spacing:2px; background-color:#2a2a2a; border-top-right-radius:50px; border-top-left-radius:50px;"><b>Friendr</b></td> <td></td></tr> <tr><td style="font-size:70px; vertical-align:middle; text-align:right; padding:0; color:#528887;">«</td> <td style="background-color:#2a2a2a; padding:20px; padding-top:10px; padding-bottom:0; width:308px;"><img src="IMAGE URL - 300px WIDE OR LESS" style="border-radius:20px;"><br> </td> <td style="font-size:70px; vertical-align:middle; padding:0; color:#528887;">»</td></tr> <tr><td></td> <td style="background-color:#2a2a2a; font:12px arial; text-align:left; padding:10px;"><span style="color:#c4c4c4;"><b>» Age:</b> your character's age</span> <span style="color:#c4c4c4;"><b>» Seeking:</b> friendship/romantic/anything</span> <span style="color:#c4c4c4;"><b>» Preferences:</b> sexual preference or n/a</span> <span style="color:#c4c4c4;"><b>» Interests:</b> three interests</span> <span style="color:#c4c4c4;"><b>» Bio:</b> 30 words or less</span> </td></tr> <tr><td></td> <td style="text-align:right; font-size:10px; background-color:#2a2a2a;"><font color="#528887">base code by</font> <a href="http://photosynthesis.dreamwidth.org/" style="color:#528887;">photosynthesis</td></tr> <raw-code><tr style="border-bottom:1px dashed #528887;"><td></td> <td style="background-color:#2a2a2a;font:20px Helvetica, Tahoma, sans-serif; color:#c4c4c4; text-align:center;">Character Name</td> <td><td></tr><tr><td></td> <td style="border-bottom-right-radius:50px; border-bottom-left-radius:50px; background-color:#2a2a2a; text-align:center;"><table style="width:100%; font:30px Verdana;"><tr><td style="text-align:left;"> <span style="text-decoration:none; color:#528887;">« ✘</span></td> <td style="text-align:right;"><span style="text-decoration:none; color:#528887;">✔ »</span></td></tr> </table></td> <td></td></table></raw-code></center>
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.

prompt vi: wildcard

Use the wildcard prompt to choose your own adventure and do whatever else you like in the setting!

navigation
[Monster of the Woodland by Imad Awan]

Comments

owen grady ▹▹ jurassic park

[alfa]

II ▹ THIS IS HOW I MAKE FRIENDS

[ This is just his luck.

He's starting to wonder if he might be cursed or something. Get snatched up to a moon on the opposite end of the universe, and even there, in the middle of a freaking city, what does he get? Wildlife on the loose. He's getting a serious case of déjà vu over here.

At least this time around they're smaller than most dinosaurs. On the other hand, probably just as dedicated. All the more reason for him to stick to non-lethal weapons. Still, in addition to the dart gun loaded with tranquilizers and a couple stun guns and nets, Owen's still carrying a knife strapped to his waist, just in case. One never knows.

But the animals really do seem fairly harmless by comparison. He doesn't seem to be having a lot of problems putting some foxes to sleep and rounding them up into a cage, or aiming his weapon at any creature that's threatening to get too close to an innocent passerby on the street.

Or he might just be having a ridiculous skirmish with one of the poisonous reptiles, trying to avoid those pointy teeth and the claws threatening to dig his eyeballs out. He'll manage to stick a dart into their necks eventually, pushing the animal off and onto the floor, groaning as he crawls back up to his feet. ] Yeah, this definitely feels like a downgrade.

IV ▹ SINGLE AND READY TO PROBABLY NOT PAY FOR YOUR DINNER

[ Look, it's not that he's some scrooge. And he's not broke, either. But if he's offered a free meal, then he's gonna take it.

Never mind that he didn't quite realize what the whole point of that invitation was. He's at first confused when asked what his preference is, but then his lips tug into a hint of a knowing smile. He says it doesn't matter, simply because he really isn't planning on making a date out of this. In a henley shirt and worn jeans, he hardly looks dressed for it.

Still, he'll greet whoever's led to his table with a friendly, if superficial, smile, lowering the menu. ] Hi.

V ▹ DATING APPS, SERIOUSLY?

	Friendr
«		»
	» Age: 36 » Seeking: not really » Preferences: doesn't matter » Interests: raptors, bikes, a quiet cabin in the woods » Bio: Former dinosaur researcher. Currently looking to learn as much as I can about the Quarantine and the forests beyond the walls. Any and all information is welcome.
	base code by photosynthesis
	Owen Grady
	« ✘ ✔ »

VI ▹ IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE

[ The Quarantine's great fun and all, but you know what he likes even more? The great wilderness.

It doesn't take long for him to start itching to check it out. Whether he manages to get his hands on one of those jeeps from the guard or just takes off on foot by himself, he'll venture out into the wild, dart gun strapped to his back and a few supplies just in case he ends up getting stranded out there for longer than planned. His main purpose is to hopefully spot some of the fauna, see what sorts of animals there are around here. He's heard they're pretty unique, so. Definitely right up his alley.

Either find him trying to somehow communicate with some weird creature, big or small, or run into him camping in the middle of nowhere, with a makeshift tent and a fire put together out of tree branches and leaves. He's probably going to spend more nights out there than he'll plan for anyway. ]

✔

[backwaterbelle]

Somehow I don't think you're just a paleontologist.

I go behind the wall regularly. Fancy a chaperoned tour? Wouldn't want you dying on your first days here.

[alfa]

I'm not. I studied the behavior of actual living dinosaurs.

Trust me, it'd take more than whatever's out there to take me down. But I'll welcome the company anyway.

[backwaterbelle]

You been Savage Lands? Ever punch a dinosaur?

Good to know sugar. The perimeter guard would probably still frown on me taking that chance.

[alfa]

Are you serious? Why would I punch a dinosaur? [ Lady. ]

So you're one of the bodyguards on call. Alright, then. Far be it from me to get you into trouble.

[ But you know, he's gonna go out there on his own too, eventually. ]

[backwaterbelle]

[She may be having a bit too much fun with this one.]

In self defense. Unless you're a normal human, then I understand why you'd be hesitant.

Not technically, but I help out frequently due to my skill sets. I officially work as a motorcycle mechanic.

[alfa]

Of course I'm a normal human. The few dinosaurs that I might've wanted to punch would've bitten my hand right off.

That so? Then maybe you can tell me where I can get my hands on a bike around here.

[backwaterbelle]

We ain't all normal humans here. And probably more than your hand.

Perhaps I could help you with that. I custom built mine for fun.

[alfa]

True. On both counts. Still getting used to that first one, sorry.

Sounds like an interesting project. How long did it take you?

[backwaterbelle]

Which means you have a world with dinosaurs and people without powers. Shit.

How's that working out?

Been working on it since I got the job, but not long considering.

ii.

[themostbest]

[Owen's going non-lethal and Sigrun's...well, pretty much the opposite. Anything that seems to be minding its own business, she basically ignores, but the minute one of them goes for a person? She's on it, dagger in hand, grabbing at whatever unfortunate creature was just menacing a person and slamming that dagger directly into the top of the creature's skull.

Look, when the animals you're used to fighting are undead monsters who spread a world-ending virus that half your crew isn't immune to, you don't really take chances, and lethal is the only safe way to go.

She barely notices the guy there, until he groans and says that this feels like a downgrade, and then she's laughing....maybe a bit maniacally.]

Tell me about it! These guys are way too easy!

[alfa]

[ After you've had to run away from creatures considerably larger and with a lot more teeth, it's hard to see the point in killing anything that can so easily be stunned and taken beyond the walls. They're animals; it's instinct that drives them to act this way, not intent.

And the way he sees it, nature deserves some respect.

All in all, it's probably a good thing that Owen doesn't see her actually stabbing one of the creatures— not that he could judge. He knows not everyone is choosing the non-lethal way. He'd just like to avoid it, personally, if he can. ]

Guess it's not such a bad thing that they're easier to handle. [ He shoots the girl a puzzled look, fixing the gun strapped to his back, then makes his way to the animal so he can get it into a cage. ] Okay, little guy. Time to get you out there.

[themostbest]

[The idea of trapping or stunning the creatures honestly never even occurred to Sigrun. But she's not used to animals, she's used to monsters. Once she calms herself down, though, and takes a look at the guy and what he's doing, her brows raise.

The concept of trapping or stunning animals is so foreign to her, in fact, that she's a little confused by it. And it shows on her face.]

What are you doing?

[Leaning in, she peers at the animal in the cage.]

Isn't that dangerous?

[alfa]

[ Owen raises both eyebrows, pausing what he's doing so he can look up at her. ]

What does it look like I'm doing? I'm taking it back to the wild where it belongs.

[ He brushes a finger across the rough skin, pulling back when the animal stirs and breathes. It's still unconscious, but just to be safe, he'll rush with getting it locked inside the cage. ]

That's what the cage is for. Can't really claw my eyes out while in there.

[themostbest]

[Generally, if she's found an animal that wasn't infected? She's totally going to kill it for food. But that's just how things work on her world. Kindness is pretty rare and doesn't do much good, at least not when it comes to possibly-infected monster.]

I guess.

[Leaning down, she peers into the cage, brows furrowed.]

Didn't mean clawing your eyes out. I meant...

[And then she remembers.]

Oh, whoops. I keep forgetting you don't have the Rash here.

[alfa]

[ The creature's passed out inside the cage, and Owen lifts it a little to test its weight. Being considerably smaller than most dinosaurs helps. At least it's not too heavy a load, and he can get it into one of the jeeps at the Perimeter Guard and just drive it beyond the wall from there. ]

Not really. [ He looks up while slinging the tranq gun across his back, freeing his hands to carry the cage. ] What's the Rash?

[ He's pretty sure she's not talking about the average skin rash. ]

vi.

[ikols]

[ There is a door at the bottom of a valley once the vegetation of the jungle clears out around the rim, soft grasses leading down the hillside with no discernible path through to the oddly placed entrance. There is no house to be seen and yet smoke rises from the ground not too far away, indicating there is someone home underground.

Is the jungle too hot or cold? Are replenishments needed of weapons or food? A wayfarer could always try their luck and knock. ]

[alfa]

[ It's not hunger, tiredness or heat that draw him close to that door. In the middle of the jungle out here, it's the last thing he expects to find, and naturally his curiosity is piqued— all the more so when he spots the smoke rising not too far away.

He approaches with caution, looking around in search of windows or other openings, any sign that there's some kind of shelter built underneath the ground. He feels around the frame of the door first, tries pushing it open. It probably takes him a couple of minutes before he tries knocking once. Might just work. ]

Anybody in there?

[ikols]

[ The wait is ten seconds or so before the door creaks hesitantly open, revealing a few steps down into an underground foyer of sorts with shoes to one side and a coat hanging on a hook in the stone wall. Leading down from behind the door is a green rope, scaly and squirming ...

Not a rope, in fact, but a snake who is mostly curled up at the base of the stairs with her neck erect, slit eyes staring up at the visitor. Green, she's a viper at a python's size, and she has opened the door by wrapping her tail around the handle.

Hi. She's more curious than you. ]

[alfa]

[ Okay, then. This is only mildly ominous and it's starting to remind him of cheesy horror flicks. And like the guy who dies first, Owen pushes the door farther open, then steps inside. He eyes the jackets but doesn't leave anything by the door, not his backpack and definitely not his tranq gun.

The movement at the corner of his eye catches his attention, and he easily recognizes what it is, even before he sees the snake's head. He stops just a few steps shy of reaching the end of the stairs, watching the snake with the same level of curiosity and caution. Doesn't look like it's about to attack him, but better safe than sorry. ]

Pretty sure you don't wear those jackets. [ Eyebrow raised, he tries to peer into the area, but doesn't dare try to walk past the snake just yet. ]

[ikols]

[ Freyja, once a small hand-sized rescue, has always been one of the most venomous snakes on the moon even before her meeting with Loki. As with most beasts that linger too long around the God of Chaos and are exposed to his resonance, her mutated physiology is now large enough that, even without her poisonous bite, she is the most confident serpent in the Quarantine (by Loki's estimation he would call her snooty). So, even with a stranger in her territory and one larger than her friend at that, she surveys Owen and his gun with a haughty dismissiveness, hissing as she sinks to the cool floor and slithers deeper into the cavernous home. She could take the man in a fight, she's sure, but why not let Loki deal with it? That's far funnier.

There comes no attack to force Owen out, which serves as her back-handed invitation.

Homely touches are sprinkled here and there without a sparse air, as if the house isn't often used but is kept in good enough nick in the meantime. After Freyja's tail disappears down a second set of stairs much further in past the lounge-come-kitchen, a surprised voice echoes up to the main floor. Male, indignant. ]

... you let in a giant man carrying a what?

[alfa]

[ Oh. Alright then, that's cool. He's still gonna wait until the snake isn't quite so near him. It's one huge snake, he realizes, as he sees the animal slither farther into the place. Once the tail is some good feet ahead of him, he comes down the rest of the steps and starts looking around the place.

He takes in a few of the details, but his eyes inevitably go back to the snake. It seems to be headed somewhere specific, and Owen can't help being curious. So he follows. Because that's the smart thing to do, follow the giant snake.

Finally he hears a voice —apparently talking to the snake (like you didn't talk to your raptors, Owen)— and he follows it, albeit carefully. His gun's strapped to his back, for what it's worth. And he's not that big. ]

I'm not gonna shoot your friend... snake. [ He calls out loudly enough for the guy to hear him. ] If that's what you're worried about.

[ikols]

[ Loki pokes his head up the stairs when he hears the stranger calling, pulling on a tshirt. He was napping, no thanks to his snake and this! weird dude!! Who the hel. There's some sort of gun on the fellow's back, he notes that on his way upstairs, and is rather relieved to find Freyja's version of "giant smelly man" is exaggerated. Well, maybe not the smelly part; this guy has a hiking vibe to him. ]

She's not worried, rather the opposite. [ Barefoot, Loki stands only a little shorter than his uninvited guest. His hand plants on a hip as he looks him over curiously. ] She asked if she can feed you to the crocs ...

[ MAYBE HE'LL SAY YES. ]

[alfa]

[ He relaxes just a hint when he sees the guy climbing up the stairs. Not that he was expecting two heads or anything, but it's obvious that he can control the snake to some degree. Talk to it too, possibly. He's still trying to decide if that's for real or not. ]

Well, that's kind of rude. [ He's going to take that as a joke. Mostly. If only because he saw no crocodiles on his way down. He still eyes the snake, then tips his head towards it. ] So what's her name, Captain Hook?

[ikols]

Freyja, after my mom.

[ Moving past the stranger to attend a coffee pot on the stove, Loki keeps him in his peripheral vision when he isn't glancing over a shoulder. ]

She also said you smell, which is hardly rude when it's true. Did you sweat all the way through the jungle on foot to get here? We don't usually have visitors, less so armed ones.