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

[weremongoose]

That's right. We are straight through the looking glass.

[Barabas mutters softly, glancing around before fixing his gaze back on Atticus. The redhead nods, frowning.] So something is either blocking or draining magic. But apparently only selectively, given that our faerie friends here seem to have no trouble with theirs.

[And Barabas is still an impressive shade of blue.]

I think you're right about that. Whatever is going on, I'd feel better knowing what it is.

[ironbounddruid]

[Atticus always appreciated another literary fan. Lewis Carroll wasn't necessarily his favorite person, but it was a pretty good read all the same. Despite the situation, he does smile slightly.]

The faeries may be our clue to that then. Though I'm not sure how we're going to get them to cooperate.

[weremongoose]

Maybe if we tell them you're interested in one of their lovely crowns, they'll feel chatty.

[There's a grin on his face, because misery loves company? But sadly, Barabas is only half kidding. He doubts the faeries will simply spill what they know -- if they know anything -- without some sort of reason, be it flattery, bribery, threat, trickery.

So many options.]

[ironbounddruid]

[Atticus quirks an eyebrow. He does look like he is considering it. After all, it may lure one out long enough to snag and question. His abilities are no longer going to kill one on sight, for better or worse, but Barabas doesn't appear to be suffering any ill effects aside from being a were of a different color. Atticus chuckles.]

You're a tricky bastard. All right, but first, maybe we should make sure the only ill effects from that crown of yours are that you're a different color. For all I know, the crown could be enchanted in other ways. And, no offense, but you don't live to be as old as I do by putting on every magical accessory offered to you.

[Never mind the fact that he only looked to be in his early twenties. If Barabas was involved in the supernatural community in any capacity he should know that appearances like that hardly meant anything.]

[weremongoose]

Yes, they even gave me a degree in it. That's Tricky Bastard, Esquire, thank you.

[The grin fades slightly, and he nods, a great deal more serious.] No, that's a smart decision. So far, aside from the color change, I feel fine. Nothing seems any more out of sorts than it did since I arrived here.

...though it won't come off, and that's annoying as hell.

[Is it ruining his hair? He works very hard on his hair. And he definitely does not have any product with him, so it's a concern -- though a minor one. Barabas isn't without his vanity, but he's also practical first and foremost.]

[ironbounddruid]

[Oh. He likes you now, if he didn't before. Atticus holds up his hands, apologetically.]

My mistake.

[He slips his hands into his pockets, listening as he offers his feedback on his experience with the crown.]

So there must be some kind of binding spell on it at least. But that doesn't tell us much, since those aren't that difficult to cast. The color...well if that's the only change then it might just be an illusion. [He considers this for a moment.] At least we know the lack of abilities isn't tied to the crowns. Hmm...which might mean the faeries aren't behind it. We could chasing up the wrong tree in that case.

[Atticus looks around.]

We should start walking. Maybe we'll discover more clues...maybe there are things out here that aren't related to the faeries. And, well, if we do run into more of them we can try to catch one.

[weremongoose]

I'll take your word for it. I'm not magically inclined myself.

[He's a shapeshifter, but other than that particular bit, he's not magically gifted like some of his brethren. No curses, no med-mage skills, no sensate abilities. And that is more than fine by Barabas; things in his life are complicated enough as they stand.]

You do have a good point with that. The crowns so far just seem like mischief. Screwing with our abilities is... not. [He takes that one personally honestly.]

Walking works. But let's be careful in case we do come across something less innocuous than the pixies.