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

[transgressed]

[She doesn't say anything just yet, hearing the quiet hesitance in Vanille's voice and wanting to address it properly.

Instead, she rests a hand atop Vanille's head, pats down her hair. Then, at last:] I remember. The others are fine now, I'm hoping. Safe. We saw to that, didn't we? You and me.

[She smiles some, relieved even now, in their current predicament. Happy to have Vanille here and safe, their task completed.

This heartfelt reunion gets a loud and exaggerated "aww" from their audience, however, which makes Fang roll her eyes.] Ugh. Forgot about them.

[abraxis]

[ It's a load of to say the least– their memories align and she does not for a second time have to confront the prospect of telling Fang how she suffered and how Vanille could do nothing but let it happen (because even if they'd succeeded in the end Fang suffered the most, and perhaps would have continued to suffer if it had not been for Lightning and the others).

She is a coward still in many ways, and that's why she sighs, grateful and content for the moment. ]

Good.

[ Is all she says.

If she could burrow any deeper into Fang's warmth she'd dig a hole straight to her heart. When their audience dares to remind them both of its existence Vanille startles slightly, peeking out from around Fang before ducking back behind her once more.]

They want a show, don't they? They won't let us leave until they get one.. that's what it looked like when I was in the stands.

[ Belatedly she remembers her card. She doesn't know what it means but it gives her a jolt of inspiration at least, Vanille reaches up to lay her palms flat on Fang's shoulders and pushes down. ]

Get on your knees! Don't make a face and don't get cheeky, just follow my lead!

[ She pushes down again, this time with a little grunt– she's exerting all of her physical strength onto Fang even though she knows Fang will not be budged unless she so chooses to be budged.

When Fang does get on her knees, because I assume she does, report me for god modding?? Vanille's hands slide up her shoulders to cup Fang's face. ]

Our kingdom has fallen to ruin! Our people have abandoned us.. want nothing more to burn us at the stake for things we have done and things we haven't! But– 

[ She speaks in a loud voice that isn't quite her own. Members of the audience shush one another, settling back into silence once more. Vanille looks up briefly, breaking character to rejoice in a soft 'Yes!' before she hurriedly looks back down at Fang. ]

B-But I couldn't leave without you! I had to find you.. because despite everything, despite all the missteps and what I've dragged you through, you stood by me. A proper queen through and through, a better queen than any foolish old king like me could ask for.

[ She wrinkles her nose, wiggling an old man mustache that she doesn't have. ]

[transgressed]

That's what I think. [Fang keeps her voice low, lest they be overheard by their riveted audience.] Guess we're their entertainment...

[Baffled at the command, she obeys it nonetheless, after a moment to acclimate herself. The words, "you tell me to get on my knees and don't want me to get cheeky," are muttered, low, but after that she keeps her mouth shut, schooling her face into seriousness, having to bite down on the inside of her cheek so as not to give away how ridiculous she finds this entire predicament.

For once, she listens, her expression the picture of placid obedience, and leans some into the press of Vanille's hands against her face.

Gradually, her expression softens. She brings her hands up to cover Vanille's own, and, as requested, follows her lead.

This is silly. But their odd audience is eating it up.]

My King —

[She's good at thinking on her feet, but Vanille's always been the better performer. All the same...] Without your leadership, I would be lost! Even if our people have abandoned us, I couldn't ever leave you. You're stronger than you know. Any other ruler would've given up, would've been cruel to the people who scorned us. But it's your kindness that kept me going.

[She glances up, subtle, and the audience begins to clap. She breathes out in a relieved sigh, and mutters to Vanille:]

Keep it up. You're doing great.

[abraxis]

[ Let it be known that at Fang's muttered comment, Vanille most definitely frowned and muttered back in a sharp whisper: "I said it because I knew you'd try to be cheeky otherwise, shh!" She may or may not have smacked Fang just a little bit too, who knows– it's hard to say, really!

Back in the present however, Vanille suddenly feels full force stage fright, looking down at Fang with a frown. She make a vaguely concerned noise. ]

I hadn't gotten any farther than that!

[ Nervous instinct and frustration make her press harder on Fang's cheek, smushing them unintentionally. An attempt at gaining her second wind is made- ]

B-But, alas! It was all for naught! We've lost everything.. we have no home, no coin, no future. You've come so far with me on this journey but if you were to turn away from me now I would not blame thee!

[ Her grip on Fang's face slacks, and she tilts her head up ever so slightly. ]

Still.. will you stay?