TEST DRIVE MEME #5.

[acatamods]

I ▫ main IV ▫ premise       XI ▫ applications XIV ▫ activity II ▫ logs V ▫ rules VII ▫ bestiary   IX ▫ canon updates XII ▫ taken XV ▫ drop/hiatus III ▫ ooc VI ▫ faq VIII ▫ setting   X ▫ mods XIII ▫ reserves XVI ▫ players test drive meme #5 It happens in the blink of an eye. One moment, you are home. Perhaps you are with your family, perhaps you are at work. It's a completely normal day . . . and then, suddenly, your stomach drops. You are overcome with a sudden sense of vertigo. You cannot see up, or down, or where you are. You fall flat on your face. It's bright, warm, and humid . . . for now. Weirdly, the weather seems to be entirely in flux. One moment, it is warm and humid, and within the next handful of hours, it is starting to snow. Whatever is going on with Astoria seems to be messing with the atmosphere of the Temple, and as a result, you are having something of a wild entrance to Acatalepsy. It takes a few seconds for you to gain composure and catch your breath. You are surrounded by ancient stone buildings, with carvings you do not recognize etched into the stone. There's a sense of nausea, overwhelming and sudden, when you realize you aren't in Kansas anymore. Indeed, it seems as if you have fallen down the rabbit hole. A weird, mysterious, snowing-yet-humid rabbit hole. THE TEMPLE OF BEGINNINGS. Welcome to the "Home Base" of Astoria's Circle. What the actual name of the base is called is lost to the ages, and there's no sense of where you could find it, unless you started asking around. At any rate, this is a central hub of the Circle, a place of powerful magic and mysterious energy. It is a scattering of ancient stone buildings and for the most part, it looks abandoned . . . except for what seems to be a few items, some rooms taken, items moved or organized, even a small garden planted. These are just the smallest hints that there are people here that have been here before you arrived. Overall, it's fairly beautiful. However, it is definitely not modern. Upon exploration, you find that the buildings are kept up by some kind of magic. Some of the rooms have items, things from other Circle members already settled, and others appear to be unclaimed. Pick your rooms, explore the grounds, see the beauty and wonder all around you in such a magical place. However, be careful -- there is some additional movement around the Temple that seems specific to the time of year. HAPPY UN-BIRTHDAY. The kitchen has become overtaken with a flurry of activity. Vines have woven their way into the area of the Temple typically reserved for food, and there is a massive tea party! What a splendiferous thing -- surely this can't be all that bad. There is such a massive array of food here that it almost seems impossible to know where to start . . . tea and cookies set out with messages that read “EAT/DRINK ME." Well, if you insist. However . . . certain foods and drinks have certain effects upon your person that are wholly unexpected. Well, drat. If you taste the rosehip tea, you are suddenly infatuated with the first individual you lay eyes on. They are everything to you. You think you may even want to propose, immediately, right now. Weddings, I love weddings! Tasting the ladyfingers will cause you to spill your deepest secrets to whoever is nearby. Have a secret crush? Not anymore! The entire room has to know about it, and you somehow can't seem to shut up about whatever you've been trying to keep quiet. A sip of the chamomile tea will cause you to become ridiculously sleepy. That corner looks like a particularly delightful place to take a nap, doesn't it? Maybe someone else wants to nap too. The Madeline cakes cause a ridiculously high spike in happiness. Nothing can get you down, not even the grumpiest of people. Smile, smile, smile! You need to spread this joy to everyone in your reach. A nibble of the scones will prevent you from lying. . . and, in addition, you will be brutally honest on whatever question you're asked. Maybe now is a bad time to give an opinion on your friend's outfit or new haircut, hm? And, finally, the Earl Grey tea will cause an enhancement of your Astoria given powers. Make sure you have that under control, or you may accidentally blow out a window, depending on what it is. YOU'RE LATE, YOU'RE LATE. The Unseen Servants will be a little, well, mad. Not that anyone will be able to see them, but there will seem to be things moving around the Temple at random, whether they be sheets, clothing, food, furniture, etc. with very little if any logical reason to it. It almost appears like the sheets and the like are moving throughout the air without any rhyme or reason to it . . . someone certainly isn't happy that the Temple is all astray. In addition, the Unseen Servants may also be attempting to steal things off of you. After all, you are also new to their world, and they want to make sure everything is put into their proper place, so beware any silent mischievous Unseen Servants dipping hands into pockets. Also . . . some of the rooms in the Temple are shifting around. Certain entryways could lead you to a select location at random. You may have thought you were entering your room, but it appears you’ve wound up in someone else’s. Or the bathhouse. Or the forest. Either way, you may find yourself lost for a bit...until the Temple decides to stop playing tricks on you. Keep track of your location, or you may wind up in the Forest of the Fey by mistake. OFF WITH YOUR HEAD. Should you approach the fighting ring, you’ll find that isn’t quite what you’d expect — there are no training dummies to be found, the rusted gates are colored a lavish gold, and the dirt ground has been replaced with a red and black checkered flooring. More notably, the ring itself seems to have expanded to make way for seating so that it’s become more of an arena than anything. There is an audience of spectators: many of them are typically known as the bestiary of this Temple. They are a bit more, er, refined and chatty today. When you enter, the gates will shut behind you. They will not budge. You have now entered a makeshift Royal Court. Suddenly, a playing card manifests in your hand. It might be… A Heart: A princess-like figure is displayed on this card. She appears to be singing. A Diamond: A gallant knight-like figure is displayed on this card. He appears to be fighting. A Queen: A refined queen-like figure is displayed on this card. She sits atop a throne, her finger pointed right at you. A King: A triumphant-king like figure is displayed on this card. He stands on a podium for all to see. A Joker: A jester-like figure is displayed on this card. He is dancing, laughing, and making a general fool of himself. On the back reads a message that states “This card withholds your role. You’ll be permitted to leave once we are thoroughly entertained. Best of luck!” No further instruction is given. Those who have entered with you are in the same predicament. How will you interpret your card? Who are you stuck with and how will you satisfy the audience? Or are you a member of the audience instead? Either way, good luck getting out — it’s up to you! COMMUNICATIONS. Upon arriving, you will notice on whichever is your non-dominant hand, you will have a fairly simply screen. A smart watch, if you will. Upon exploration, you will find that it has a directory of all those here with you at the Temple of Beginnings- names, and access to a direct message to them. The watch also has video, audio, and text capabilities, as well as what looks like a collection of messages sent to everyone who wishes to open them. This is your 'network', and also how Astoria can reach out and communicate with you. There is nothing keeping you from removing and/or losing your watch! But remember that you will not have access to this network without it. OOC: Also feel free to join us and other possible players on our discord server! enjoy! ♥

Comments

you're late

[blindfoster]

Umm...

[That's Quentin's very clever first reaction to someone bursting through the door to the room that he's settled on as his for the time being. He's startled enough that he forgets that he's dismissed the illusion that makes him look human, so his very pointed ears and slightly inhuman features are very much visible.]

What am I helping with?

[Because yeah, he's all for helping. He puts it together though and huh. Something's going after her weapon, right? He reaches out to try to pry unseen hands off the weapon.]

[broadaxes]

[Johanna struggles with her hands behind her head, gripping the long handle of the axe.]

There's something invisible attacking me! Unless you can see it?

[She gives him a double-take-- Okay, he doesn't look human. But not many people in Panem looked natural, so it's only a moment she wonders. The unseen servant shoves her forward and she falls onto her hands.]

Don't let it fucking take it!

[blindfoster]

I don't see anything! But that doesn't mean it's not there.

[He's learned that in his travels at least. So he will try to help pry her axe away. Or that's his plan before well, he watches her get shoved down.

Oh. Wow okay yeah. He watches the invisible hands pry the axe free, but manages to grab at it, planting his feet for a tug of war.]

This is the weirdest mugging I've ever seen.

[For the record.] This thing is strong!

[broadaxes]

[Johanna rolls her eyes at Quentin and continues to struggle until she hits the ground. She lets out a roar of frustration and goes to grab at the axe alongside Quentin.]

Fuck yeah it's strong, it's taking both of us. I'm-- I'm not letting go, dude.

[She tries to lower herself to the ground, get better leverage and yanking it down.]

[blindfoster]

[Quentin has a grip at least and isn't letting go. With any luck the invisible axe thief will get tired of the fight and let go. ...with any further luck the two of them won't go careening into a wall when that happens. But Quentin isn't counting on being that lucky.]

Any idea why it wants your axe?

[He gets the question out even if the words sound strained. Oak and ash this thing is stubborn.]

[broadaxes]

[The Unseen Servant yanks hard and is able to knock them both off the axe handle. It bounces the axe down the hallway. Johanna goes chasing after it, without really saying much to Quentin.]

No idea, it's getting away!!

[blindfoster]

[Quention stumbles back but keeps his feet -- thanks mostly to the pureblood Fae grace and luck, than any actual skill. He blinks before he takes off at a run after her. And her stolen axe.]

Right. [And then, because he's a teenager with a questionable sense of humor, he adds,] Follow that axe!

[broadaxes]

[Johanna runs down a hall until she reaches a door. She goes for the knob, looking back at Quentin. She's panting a little (it's been a long time since the games!)]

Hey, you followed.

[She tries the doorknob and it won't open. She tries again and again, getting angrier the longer it takes.]

[blindfoster]

Well yeah. It took your axe.

[That's not cool. That's not cool at all. So he's here to help, with whatever help he might be able to offer.

He's not sure what that will be, mind you, but he's still here to try.]

Is it locked? ...I should've bugged Toby more about lock-picking lessons.

[broadaxes]

[Johanna looks at him with a suspicious look on her face. She's suspicious of everyone though, so it's not a big deal. She stops trying the knob and turns to look at him.]

I don't have any reward money, if that's what you're after. And you can't pick locks? Pah. Well. I mean. I can't either. If we had my axe, we could chop it down.

[She looks back to the door and starts kicking it near the middle. Between kicks, she grunts out--]

I'm Johanna.

[blindfoster]

Huh? Why would I want a reward?

[He's just helping her chase down a stolen thing. Hardly the sort of thing that warrants a reward.]

Quentin.

[He watches her kick the door, considering for a moment before stepping closer to it.]

Hang on a second. [He has a plan. It's a dumb plan. He wants to try it anyway. So once there's a break in the kicking, he steps forward and, well, he knocks. Politely.] Excuse me... is anyone in there? May we come in?

[broadaxes]

[Johanna looks at him like he's the stupidest person in the world-- but does stop kicking when he approaches.]

This oughta be good.

[When Quentin asks if they can come in, the door swings open, inwardly, and no one is on the other side. Johanna's look of disdain is gone and she goes to grab Quentin by the shoulders.]

You genius boy!

[blindfoster]

[Quentin can't help but grin, looking fairly pleased with himself at this.]

I just thought it might be like back home. Toby thinks knowes have minds of their own. And even if they don't, sometimes a standing ward just wants the right manners or decorum.

[But hey it worked. And just in case the door changes its mind, Quentin sets himself in the doorway.]

Let's try to find your axe.

[broadaxes]

[The door stays firmly opened. Johanna's hands drop when he moves to the doorway and she realizes she got way too excited. More excited than normal. It was just that this place was so weird and her fucking favorite axe was taken. She got caught up.]

What's-- you know what, I just remembered I don't care.

[She dashes through the doorway and down the hall. Her axe is deeply stuck in one of the wooden shelving units. She skids to a halt right next to it-- checks to make sure Quentin isn't too close, and yanks it free. It's hefty, but Johanna is strong from years throwing axes, chopping down trees, and the occasional woodworking session.]

Thanks, kiddo.

[Younger people hate being called kiddo. She hated it. That's why she said it. YES he was helpful but she wants to annoy him. It's how she shows love.]

[blindfoster]

[Quentin shrugs. Probably better she doesn't care. He's still not sure how much he should or shouldn't say to people who look human about things that are definitely not human. But here he is anyway. He follows after her, but far enough that he's out of axe range for when she frees her weapon.

He does falter at the thanks -- less from the kiddo part (Toby hits him with that often enough), than at the "thanks" themselves. She's human, he reminds himself. Fae may have certain societal taboos about thank yous in general, but humans don't share that.]

Yeah. I'm glad you got it back. I wouldn't want to be unarmed around here.

[broadaxes]

Yeah, but I'm not sure if those invisible things can be hurt. And they're invisible.

[She decides to hold the axe in her arms rather than strap it to her back. Just in case someone decides to get handsy again.]

Are you new here too?

[Johanna still doesn't realize he's not human. The people in the Capitol would get surgeries to make them selves look different. She just assumes he wanted to look this way.]

[blindfoster]

Most things have some weakness or another. But it's probably better not to wind up fighting invisible creatures right away if it can be avoided anyway.

[He's quick to nod at the question.]

Yeah. I just got here. It's... a weird place.

[And he says this having lived in Faerie, Toronto, and San Francisco. He's a connoisseur of various flavors of weird. But this is new and extra weird.]

[broadaxes]

[Johanna rolls her eyes, but agrees. She just puts on a show like she thinks everyone is stupid.]

It sure is strange. Not a lot of electricity, is there?