acatalepsy_ooc | test drive meme # 3

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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! ♥

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Perhaps when we've all settled in, so that we're all in a better state of mind to receive her. Less distracted, though I'm sure we'll all have questions, and hopefully she'll preempt most of them.

[he shifts the staff in his arms, idly turning it.]

I'm afraid at the moment all I can offer you are my theories and speculation. But I can say one thing for certain - if we were in any danger here, it would have already presented itself.

[ she waves a hand at the possible apology, not minding it at all.

in fact- ] I'm happy that I can speak about this at all. It's hard to find someone willing to speak about these sort of subjects in these sort of situations.

It seems everyone else is outdoors at the moment and I am not... interested in that. [ between the strange plants and strange plant animals she's found during her brief exploration outside... yes. she'll like to stay in and discuss things. better safe than sorry. ] I suppose we should take comfort in that nothing dangerous has happened.

[ ... yet. ]

Nothing more than a touch of mischief earlier. Easily forgotten.

[the fairies were only doing what they did best.]

More's the pity for those that don't wish to speak, though, they're passing up on lovely company for it.

[ she raises an eyebrow at that, amused more than anything else at the attempt to flirt with her. ]

I'm sure, sooner or later, they'll be willing to join us in our discussions. Who knows? Maybe this 'lovely' company you speak of will make themselves present for our talk.

[ anything is possible. her eyes now flit over to his staff, seeing a chance to ask a question she always wants to ask whenever she meets a new face. ] So- Where were you before you arrived here? It looks like you're from an interesting place.

[a shy one? no. more like a brush of winter, not yet like to wake from their ice. a draw, if he had to confess. but he won't push it, not in this meeting.]

An observatory atop a snowy mountain in the Antarctic.

[that's not quite the answer she's fishing for, he can tell, with her eyes seeing the staff, but it's the one he wants to give.]

[ that is most definitely not the sort of answer she's looking for. not at all.

and yet- she looks amused, if the smile, quick and fleeting, is anything to by. ]

Must be an interesting observatory, considering how interesting you are. [ deciding that bluntness would be best for this, lorem gestures openly to the staff. ] Is that a dowsing rod for hot water, by any chance?

[he laughs and shakes his head. that was one task the Master had never sent him on, and given the weather conditions he hopes they won't continue.]

A traveler needs a staff as much as he needs a cloak to shield him from the weather. And a magician can always use one to aid his focus.

So you are a magic user. [ currently in the antarctic but a magic user all the same. she knows better than to question someone's place and skill, given her own history. ] How fascinating.

... Now that I think about it, I don't believe I've ever gotten your name then. [ here, she tilts her head and lets a smile come and go across her face. ] Or will it be considered poor in manner to ask such a thing from you?

[so clinical. there were a thousand names for what he was, but he'll let it slide, thinking it was only a bit of a pity.]

Only if I may be graced with knowing yours in return.

It would be rude to ask and not give in return.

[ in gesture, she offers her hand out as a sign of greetings. if he's willing to take it. she'll need to relearn manners and gestures again, she muses, given how many new faces and unknowns are here. ] I'm known as Lorem Laurel. You're free to call me Lorem if you want.

[he takes her hand and gives a firm handshake - she seems like the type to appreciate that, above a nobility's kiss on the hand. despite his talk of magic, he uses his hands, and it's evident in the touch - strength and the general roughness of someone who's as much action as he is talk.]

Lorem. Rest assured, I won't stand on formalities.

[ah, but he promised his own in return, didn't he, no time to linger on the questions in his mind when he heard that name.]

I'm known as Merlin.

The Kingmaker.

[ when she was younger and smaller, grappling with the count of other worlds and times, taxon once said that, perhaps, some legends and stories can repeat more ways than one. they have the ability to transcend their universe, have the ability to echo in other times as they stood.

constants and variables, was their way of summarising it.

it seems this is the case. she gives a firm shake in return - noting the state of his hands. not unlike her own, calloused and hardened by hands on work and trials. ]

It's an honour to meet you, truly. I've- I've heard about you, where I'm from. Interpretations, at least.

test drive meme # 3

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i could have sworn this was tagged...!!

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