test drive meme # 3

[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 #3 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 bright, warm, and humid. It takes a few seconds for you to gain composure and 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. Even worse, it looks like the tinier inhabitants of the Forest of the Fey are acting a little cheeky. 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 -- the sprites that reside within the Forest of the Fey seem to be exceptionally active, today, and tricks abound wherever you look. KINGS AND QUEENS. Typically, the sprites of the Forest of the Fey remain within the protective canopy of the surroundings. However, there seems to be something different in the air, and these little bastards are flitting about and giving out flower crowns to everyone. They are beautifully made, intricate and gloriously decorative, and most people would be happy to adorn one! There's just one problem, though -- they don't come off. No matter how hard you try, those damn flower crowns are stuck on your head, and you cannot remove them no matter how hard you try. Hope you enjoy being a fairy princess for a day. And, if you are alighted with a flower crown, your skin turns the same color as whatever flowers now sit upon your head. A wreath of blue roses? Congratulations, Violet Beauregard -- you're now as blue as a blueberry. The effect wears off in about an hour, and you can remove the flower crown then -- but have fun being every shade of the rainbow as the sprites take their time to torment the new arrivals. BALLOONS FOR EVERYONE. Normally, there are some animals that wander within the ancient stone buildings of the Temple. Tiny little white bats, sheep that grow on the vine . . . that sort of thing. However, the sprites have elected to add a little bit more flair the Temple, and balloon animals have invaded the living space. Where the sprites got the idea for balloon animals, no one can really be sure -- Astoria seems to think the sprites are waltzing through the spirit realm and seem to have garnered an idea there, whatever that's supposed to mean. So, no matter where you go, there are balloon animals. Little dogs, brightly colored fish, dinosaurs, giraffes . . . except they seem to move, and make noise, and act like their real counterparts. Tiny balloon dogs nip at your heels, balloon fish flicker about in the waters that sprinkle themselves throughout the Forest, and balloon birds float through the skies. Bonus? If you pop them, they explode into (biodegradable) glitter. DECAYED DECADENCE. Despite the shenanigans from the sprites, however, there seems to be something happening within the Temple that may be cause of concern. Flower crowns and balloon animals aside, there seem to be odd spots of the Temple that suddenly wilt . . . flowers that bend over and wither at a moment's notice, saplings that seem to creak as if suddenly dried from the inside out . . . and it seems, oddly enough, that it happens whenever you, an Arrival, get closer to the wild life. Astoria seems to think that something is wrong . . . perhaps something the Circle members brought back from their last trip. An illness, or something more? Care to poke about and see how far you're willing to take it? Or does your magical gift enable the protection of plant growth? Try out your green thumb and see if you can help. 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

decadence

[fairysong]

Hm? [Sheryl had just been passing through, as it had happened, when the other girl had spoken to her. Or... not her. She's talking to the... flowers? That's a little weird.] I don't think that's how flowers work.

They probably just didn't get enough water. [That makes complete sense to Sheryl, who is absolutely not any sort of gardener. Yet she says it so confidently?]

[ladame]

[ her head turns past her shoulder when she hears sheryl's voice, expression worried and crestfallen. ]

No, I saw them wilting just as I passed them by. They were perfectly healthy just a moment ago - I wanted to come over to admire them, but...

[ that seems to have been a mistake. ]

[fairysong]

[Oh. Okay. She's not much of a gardener, but even she knows that's odd.

Sheryl turns to come over to where Haru's kneeling, bending forward and tugging her sunglasses down to get a better look.] They look like they've been dead for days. It really happened that fast?

I don't know anything about gardening, I'm afraid.

[ladame]

Yes. Almost like time had fast-forwarded when I came by, and a healthy plant suddenly became a dead one.

[ her hands fold together over each other on her knees, heart still racing with concern. it's nice to have someone come by. ]

I'm a gardener and I've never seen anything like it. I wonder if it's something I did if they were ok a moment ago.

[fairysong]

Don't be silly. How could it be something that you did? You didn't touch it, right?

Unless things usually wilt around you, I wouldn't blame yourself. [She's blunt, yes, but there's genuine empathy in the words!]

[ladame]

Well, no, but...

[ she tugs a little on the tip of her hat and sighs. ]

You're right. I think I'm just a little sensitive right now. I feel bad for the plant. It really did look alive and beautiful just moments ago.

[fairysong]

Maybe that sort of thing just happens here. It could be, ah... a phoenix plant? [She's reaching, mostly because she's got nothing to contribute of any real value, honestly.]

Just because I've never heard of one before doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

[ladame]

A plant that would revive itself after decay? [ or so she assumes by the name, because she's never heard of a plant like that before. ] Well, we are in some sort of alternate world. I suppose that means most anything is possible in theory.

[ and it does make her feel better if nothing else. ]

[fairysong]

See? There you go. Just some positive thinking~

Different planets have different everything, you know. [A soul cheered up by Sheryl Nome! Great job.] I don't think we should expect it to be like wherever you call home at all.

[ladame]

Mhm, that's a good point. ...I don't think it's really hit me all that much yet. That I'm not even on my world anymore.

[ everything is new and confusing, but she's going to do her best to get through it. what else is there to do? wallowing doesn't help. ]

Oh - I'm Noir by the way. It's nice to meet you. [ even if it's not her "real name", it's still an identity she wants to retain even in a new place. ]

[fairysong]

[Different world... it's an interesting thought for her. She's plenty accustomed to different planets, even if the vast majority of her life was lived on Macross fleets.

As far as she's concerned, this is just a different planet. The idea that it's a new universe entirely doesn't really occur to her.] I'm sure you'll get used to it before you know it! I'm just glad to have a real sky above me for a change.

[Sheryl's expression doesn't change, but she does note the interesting name that she is like 99% sure is some sort of... nom de plume?] "Noir," is it? I'm Sheryl. The pleasure's mine!

[She waits to see if there's any recognition on the girl's face, but doesn't expect it. What the hell is with nobody knowing who she is here?]

[ladame]

Oh what a lovely name you have. [ no recognition on haru's part indeed. ] Ah, if you don't mind my curiosity, what do you mean by 'real sky'?

[fairysong]

[Man, that's weird. Ordinarily, she'd be more incognito when out like this to avoid being mobbed-- or worse, as was always a risk when you were a celebrity-- but the fact that nobody here seems to have even the slightest clue of who she is is so bizarre.

Sheryl can't tell if it's disturbing or refreshing.] Thank you! I try to live up to it.

And I mean a planet's sky instead of the simulated one you'd have on one of the Macross fleet ships. I don't suppose that's ringing any bells either, though?

[ladame]

[ a simulated sky for ships? she has to mean airships, but it sounds like something out of a fantasy world. the image spreads a small smile. ]

No, not at all. Nothing like that exists back in my home. It sounds incredible. Do you come from an advanced scientific society?

[fairysong]

[An "advanced" society? It's funny; Sheryl just thinks of it as her society, no more advanced or primitive than it is.] I guess you could say so? It just seems normally advanced to me.

So you're saying you don't have fleets of giant city-size space ships colonizing the galaxy, where you're from.

[ladame]

Ahaha, no! I can't even begin to imagine it! [ this is too much for a girl who barely knows how to operate a smart phone. ] But I guess you must already have a leg-up on grasping our situation.