acatamods: (Default)
acatamods. ([personal profile] acatamods) wrote in [community profile] acatalepsy_ooc2018-06-19 11:13 pm
Entry tags:

test drive # 2







test drive meme #2
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.

All you hear is a voice -- light, bubbly, warm, soothing, in your ear:

Don't worry, darling. This won't hurt a bit~ ♥

For those who recognize the voice, it will sound a bit strained. Possibly tired. But the moment happens so quickly it's hard to pin down, and once that moment is over, you fall flat on your face. It's dim, damp, with the trickling of what feels like rain. It takes a few moments for you to gain composure, to catch your breath. You think, for half a moment, that a hand is on your back, rubbing between your shoulder blades in comfort, but when you open your eyes, no one is there. 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.

And, of course, because this is just your luck.

It's raining.



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.

For some, this place is home. For others, this strange land is new and dark, like a haze has settled in the air. The creatures in the forest seem to be stirring, and every now and then the sky will open up, and a storm will pass through, in varying degrees of intensity. Some will be easy spring showers, others will be angry, thunderous storms.

Not exactly the most welcoming place, but it's a start.

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. The rain makes everything feel a bit softer, but also eerie, like there is a secret being kept just on the outside of your vision.

Of course, this means you have free reign. This place seems easy enough to figure out on your own, with enough time to take a walk around! However- members who recognize this place may notice the lack of a certain figure, the grounds feeling a bit more empty, more abandoned, than they did before.



IT'S A FIELD OF . . . POPPIES?
The buildings of the Temple of Beginnings span out across a fair-sized field, intermixed with trees, open grassy planes, outside sitting areas, fire rings, and other oddly ancient but somehow structures. With the mist and the rain, everything feels a bit more ethereal, like there is life to every inch of what you see before you. Or like you've stumbled into some kind of alternate world. Around the temple is a ring of stones that do not seem to move no matter what characters may attempt, and beyond that is the forest.

The forest itself is more than just impressive - it is near-overwhelming. An impossibly ancient stretch of woods that crackle with magical energy. Within, there is all matter of fauna and flora, darting from tree trunk to tree trunk. The canopy is thick enough to shield from the worst of the rain, but still the water gets through, dripping down through the leaves and dampening the ground under your feet. While there is always a sense of wonder - and possible danger - in every stretch of this forest, nothing will come any closer than a brief glimpse out of the corner of your eyes.

No matter how you try, you can't quite seem to catch a full glimpse of what is moving about. Some of the creatures seem small, flittering through the air, while others dart through the trees, larger, more imposing. Everything here seems to be looking for some kind of shelter, so be wary of stumbling across something already taken.

There is a particular clearing not too far into the woods that opens up, a field encircled by trees. In the middle of the field there is an odd glow - luminescent even in the darkened sky. Upon investigation, you will find a bush - about the size of a small car - filled with glowing flowers, white, blue, gold, and purple. They all smell faintly sweet, but it's hard to tell with the scent of earth and rain all around you.

if you decide to pick one of these flowers, there will be no immediate recourse. However, the longer you decide to keep the flower on your person - or if, for whatever reason, you decide to eat said flower - the following will start to set in.
White: For whatever reason, you will have more energy than you know what to do with, and will be filled with the urge to shine. Ever needed a confidence booster? To a point that you need to get up on buildings and belt your favorite song at the top of your lungs? Well, now you do.
Blue: After some time of carrying around this flower, you will start to feel at peace. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, is it? Until that feeling of peace continues to grow, and continues, and continues. Soon you will feel so peaceful, it's almost as if nothing matters at all. I mean...it'll work out in the end, won't it? You're no longer missing home, missing people, worried about what happened and what you might fine. Everything is chill. Beyond chill. The most chill. But maybe out in the middle of the forest isn't the best place for a nap?
Gold: Congrats, you've officially become a hoarder! No, seriously, you will have this uncontrollable urge to grab things and collect them. It doesn't matter what they are, or where they are. You need to have them and you will find a way to make it happen. Hats? Rings? People with green hair? The world is your oyster, and that's the key word here - yours.
Purple: Suddenly, and without warning, you find yourself unable to...well. Go on alone, really. The first person you see, or that you come in contact with, will feel much like the savior of your world, and for the next five hours or so, you will be unable to be far from them. Even if you know the fear is irrational, you can't really help it, following friend or stranger alike, always needing to be just in arms reach.
Regarding further exploration of the wood, it will seem to go on forever. Getting lost seems almost imperative to existence within this forest, going on forever in all directions with no edge in sight. You could walk for days, weeks, possibly even more. However, the second that you find yourself thinking about wanting to return to the buildings from before, you find yourself cresting through the edge of the trees, back to your home.



RUN BY THE RIVER
While inside the buildings and in the main open spaces, the water doesn't seem to be building up all too terribly, un an unfortunate turn of events, it all seems to be rolling down a very slight hill, pulling just on the outside of the ring of stones.

The ground here is unstable, wet and muddy from the amount of moisture falling from the skies. So much that in some areas (the fighting area being one), it will start to collect into a dangerous combination of mud and moving water. It's possible to get stuck in it, possible to get lost in the flooding, but it's also possible to...you know. Have some fun?

Mud slides, mud wrestling, mud...castles? Whatever you want it to be, it's at your disposal! While the arena was originally a place to practice your powers, or any of the various weapons that are usually kept here, now you can do the same with a little added obstacle in your path. That, or it's possible you simply got stuck trying to make it back to your room. Hopefully someone will be by to help you!


CONNECTIONS AND COMMENTARY
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! ♥
unrecovered: (Let's talk)

[personal profile] unrecovered 2018-06-25 05:39 am (UTC)(link)
[Wash doesn't really differentiate between his skills and abilities and training - you engage in the latter to build the former - so that explanation is just as confusing as it is worrying.]

Define 'skills and abili-

[And then the arm starts to glow and Wash stops dead. He's seen his share of mechanical prosthetics, but they sure as fuck don't do that.]

...is that your power or a feature?

[The point at which someone starts showing off their metal arm is the point where it stops being rude to ask about it, okay.]

[And then the rest of what this guy is saying sinks in.]


Wait. Wait. We can just talk to her?

[It can't be that easy, because if it was, Wash highly doubts that very many people would still be here. But still, direct communication with the force fucking up your life is not something he expected.]

Has anyone asked to go home? Has anyone asked what's keeping her here? Does she even have any answers?

[Now that he knows he can, he would like to speak to a manager.]
bestaround: (pic#12175900)

[personal profile] bestaround 2018-06-25 05:49 am (UTC)(link)
[ Have to do it anyway, huh. Those are more words 9S doesn't like hearing, but there's a reluctant, subtle shift in his demeanor, like he has a rebuttal in mind yet hesitates to say it.

In the end, all he can manage to do is resign himself to what Kou says. ]


Right. Temporary... I hope she knows that, too.
punshots: (✘ depth.)

[personal profile] punshots 2018-06-25 06:02 am (UTC)(link)
specific AND literal
i don't even want to know what would happen if you asked them to strip the bed

but they got it right eventually!
my bed no longer looks like holey cheese :)
so don't worry about it too much!
punshots: (✘ reflective.)

[personal profile] punshots 2018-06-25 06:04 am (UTC)(link)
[ That smile is a good sign, and he beams as she turns the question back on him. He's a little proud of his power—not because it's really anything exceptionally amazing or powerful, but because he's never had a power on his own before. Everything he could do back on Eos was only a result of being in the Crownsguard, and while borrowing Noct's magic had been a special privilege, this one is all his own. ]

Me? I'm a speedster. [ Astoria was pretty on-the-nose with the power she gave to a guy named Prompto. ] I can run really, really fast. It's a blast! Swallowed a few bugs, though...

[ And he's definitely run into a few walls. ]
unrecovered: (Yeah and?)

[personal profile] unrecovered 2018-06-25 06:04 am (UTC)(link)
[The curtsy is what does him in, honestly. Wash has had a wide variety of experiences, but being curtsied to is so far out of his usual range that it takes him a few seconds to process that it just happened, never mind figuring out how to respond to it.]

I- [That train of thought fizzles, and he stops and shakes his head.] God, I don't know. I just got here and nothing makes sense.
bestaround: (Default)

WAIT i can immortalize your typos again >:)

[personal profile] bestaround 2018-06-25 06:06 am (UTC)(link)
[ Well, that's... something. No doubt someone had to be responsible for this, even if he had initially thought perhaps Hathaway had made some sort of screw up. (Uncharacteristic of them it feels, but—another entity getting involved entirely wasn't a guess he would have made, admittedly.) ]

So why are we here? It doesn't look like there's much around.
punshots: (✘ rise.)

[personal profile] punshots 2018-06-25 06:06 am (UTC)(link)
Mh-hmm! Don't worry, though. Gladio and I kept Noct outta too much trouble for you.

[ This is decidedly untrue, considering all the trouble Noct got into in El Minha, and Prompto was no better, really. But he doesn't need to jump right into that. Not when they made it through unscathed, with the world a better place for their involvement. Besides, Ignis has enough to worry about just arriving here as it is. Prompto sets aside his own unanswered questions in favor of his friend's. ]

Y-yeah, about that! Uh...so, we're kiiiinda in another world now. A witch brought us here. —I know, I know, sounds crazy, right? I had a hard time believing it at first, too.

[ Or rather, he had trouble processing it. It's pretty jarring, arriving here so suddenly. ]
punshots: (✘ clarendon.)

[personal profile] punshots 2018-06-25 06:07 am (UTC)(link)
[ That is...generally a good way of getting people's attention, yep! Prompto nods approvingly, as if he is some kind of authority on getting attention, but to be fair...he is pretty good at it, for better or for worse. ]

Good call, my dude! —Hey, this, uh, might sound weird, but...did I see you earlier? Could've sworn I did...
unimpeded: (Default)

[personal profile] unimpeded 2018-06-25 06:07 am (UTC)(link)
Mostly the amount of energy coming off those flowers, and you were directly exposed to it...
unimpeded: (You sure?)

[personal profile] unimpeded 2018-06-25 06:08 am (UTC)(link)
Eh...? I mean, it isn't magic as far as I'm concerned.

[He waves at all...this...]

I've seen weirder. Your people ever run into a being known as Q? Or the Q Continuum?
unimpeded: (Cool)

[personal profile] unimpeded 2018-06-25 06:09 am (UTC)(link)
Lieutenant Commander Geordi LaForge. I introduced myself already, Akira.

Must be that old age eh?
unimpeded: (Cool)

[personal profile] unimpeded 2018-06-25 06:10 am (UTC)(link)
Oh heck, you guys don't have those yet?

I'll do what I can but working with stone knives and bear skins is going to be tough.
bulletbiter: (princely sparkling)

[personal profile] bulletbiter 2018-06-25 06:13 am (UTC)(link)
[ Julius tilts his head, a way to answer yes and no at the same time: ]

Not permanently. This is a home base of sorts for people brought here by Astoria. We usually end up traveling after.
bulletbiter: (am i still captain)

[personal profile] bulletbiter 2018-06-25 06:15 am (UTC)(link)
[ The newly-sprouted dummy makes a move to follow Thancred, but stops after a few paces. It trundles back to its previous position, as expected. ]

I'm fine with both. Just some usual exercise, you know?

[ Julius follows, indicating his weapon holstered on his back. ]
bestaround: (Default)

[personal profile] bestaround 2018-06-25 06:16 am (UTC)(link)
—Huh?

[ Wait. Seriously?

Evidently blindsided by her words, 9S levels her a stare. ]


Wait, that's... And you're still around?
bestaround: (pic#11973419)

[personal profile] bestaround 2018-06-25 06:26 am (UTC)(link)
[ Ha ha, well. He isn't quite sure if it could be considered a "home", but 9S does have something (someone) to go back to.

He neither confirms nor denies her statement. Instead, 9S cants his head back towards the open area before them. ]


Maybe we should look around some more, then. [ He isn't thrilled about the idea, but she does have a point. There's not a lot of use standing around here. ] I can't leave you here by yourself.

[ Since she... seems concerned about that. ]
spaceforged: (This is my team now)

1/2

[personal profile] spaceforged 2018-06-25 06:34 am (UTC)(link)
[He waits until the questions slow to a stop and lifts up his normal arm tapping the wrist watch on it. Facts first. Then he can explain things.] You can ask her here. We've asked to go home and she doesn't know exactly what is keeping her here.

She wanted us to focus on the coming mission she briefed us on and no, my arm isn't my special ability. That's its programming from home.

[Well, he might as well show him since he brought it up.] My power is something else entirely. Stay here.

[He pushes up and away from the log and walks out of the small space out into the open. He holds his hand out to the side three fingers held out. Two. One.]
spaceforged: (Black Lion standing tall)

2/2

[personal profile] spaceforged 2018-06-25 06:36 am (UTC)(link)
[His body turns to purple light and expands into a vast truck sized robotic beast.

Black in color with accents of white and red, it turns to face him with glowing yellow eyes. The lion leans down to look directly at him. Shiro's voice drifts up, not in the air but in Wash's mind.]


It's a little difficult to define skills and abilities. We all come from very different realities. This is my power, I become a downsized version of the machine I pilot at home.
bestaround: (pic#12104716)

[personal profile] bestaround 2018-06-25 06:39 am (UTC)(link)
[ Nocturnal? ... Admittedly, that hadn't crossed his mind—and probably never would have, having come from a world where he'd never actually seen a nighttime. (Consistent day and night cycles was still kind of wild to him.)

Regardless, he gives up with a shake of his head. ]


No, it was bigger than that... But I guess it doesn't matter. I actually came out here because I wanted to map the area out, but it's just an endless bunch of trees.
unrecovered: (Recovery One)

[personal profile] unrecovered 2018-06-25 06:57 am (UTC)(link)
[WHAT. THE FUCK.]

[WHAT. THE. FUCK.]

[WHAT THE FUCK.]

[Wash instinctively leans way the fuck back on the log, because he sure did just watch a man turn into a large mechanical lion and he was in no way prepared for that. If there's anything that could convince him that he actually had been dragged into a dimension outside of time and space by a witch who gave people weird powers, it's definitely this.]

[Either that, or he's hallucinating.]

[But his hallucinations, infrequent as they are nowadays, tend to be much more personal, whereas this seems a lot more like something Caboose would come up with.]

[...all of this makes so much more sense reframed as a Caboose story, or if he thinks of Astoria as Caboose, who's managed to lock himself in the closet again and can someone please feed his pet rock until he finds a way out. It's a comparison that probably doesn't do Astoria many favors and gives Caboose way too much credit, but it's better for Wash's sanity, so for now, it stays. (If everyone around here has powers as crazy as turning into a giant robot cat, his sanity is going to need all the help it can get.)]


...okay then!

[His tone is way too bright for the situation but he's still processing, okay.]
bestaround: (pic#12104716)

(。・ω・。)ノ♡

[personal profile] bestaround 2018-06-25 07:05 am (UTC)(link)
Umm...

[ The sensation of having a dream is a difficult feeling to pin down, being the half of this particular duo lacking in the human brain department. (So, no, 9S doesn't dream.) But he does give a thoughtful hum regardless. ]

I'm not sure—whatever it was, it felt like it was really screwing around with a few of my functionalities. It was... Yeah. Weird.
spaceforged: (Yeah okay you do that)

[personal profile] spaceforged 2018-06-25 07:23 am (UTC)(link)
[Oh, he knows that tone. He's heard it enough times to guess that the man needs a moment.

...

And probably not to be stared at by a massive robot cat. Maybe he should have given him a bit more warning. But it would have sounded nuts. There's just no gentle way to explain the situation. He sighs and shakes his great metal head. Shiro returns to his natural shape in another wash of purple light. He stretches one arm then the other to chase away the slight feeling his body doesn't belong to him shifting always causes.]


Take as long as you need to process it. I'm not going anywhere. [He walks back to the log and sits back down. Shiro leans back, crossing his arms over his chest with a clear intent to wait. The new guy needs answers and he can still help.]

If it helps, shapeshifters seems a rarer power. There's only two of us here.
spaceforged: (Black Lion: Flight at last)

[personal profile] spaceforged 2018-06-25 07:29 am (UTC)(link)
[It's a sight to see a dragon take wing. He will never forget it. He can tell that it's a bit of a struggle the way he sometimes overshoots or misjudges his size. Shiro turns and heads for a fly by over the whole temple grounds.]

It wasn't raining last time. I wonder why that happened. Oh and did you notice the watch on your arm? It should have changed size with you.

[He rolls in the air so his feet are facing up towards the sky above and waves one leg with a large wristwatch strapped to it.]
ebonyengine: (☠ - The "key" is where to look?)

[personal profile] ebonyengine 2018-06-25 08:01 am (UTC)(link)
[Well that's. Fair. It's not like he knows where Japan is.]

That's alright. I have to confess I don't know anything about Japan.
ebonyengine: (☠ - Rather sultry)

[personal profile] ebonyengine 2018-06-25 08:05 am (UTC)(link)
[Ignis makes a big show of examining the smiley face. He has determined that yes, it is a smiley face. It's rather generic and unremarkable in the age of emojis ruling in the era of text messaging. Finally, he decides to let Ayer know his conclusions.]

I'm quite sure it's not alive.

[As for getting rid of it, he reaches over to dismiss the yellow menace with a tap of his finger.]

Although if it was, I'd think it was friendly.