♥ August Test Drive Meme

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August Test Drive Meme
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As Achtom and Ohnir flow into each other, the skies are still gorgeously blue and dotted with high fluffy clouds that never seem to threaten rain - so long as the weather stays controlled. Businesses are picking back up, the natives starting to cater once again to flesh-bodied people with varied amounts of success. The VR cafes are featuring more helmets so even more people can play along with the ever expanding selection of games. Overall, it seems like Havenwell is quite the peaceful city.

But there are still some issues to be had...

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❥ PROMPT I: Where's the Pied Piper?

All Achtom, the residents have been dealing with things in characters' houses seemingly moving of their own volition to other parts of the house and going temporarily missing, returning chewed upon by the mice that have overtaken Havenwell. By the time the new wave of arrivals come, the worst of it is over, but there are still some pesky little temple familiars running about the city!

The noises at night aren't as terrible as they once had been, but the squeaking and chattering in the walls and ceiling is still noticeable. It's still difficult to sleep at night for all the noise throughout the long night hours. Trying to find the source is a surefire way to drive yourself mad, but it seems that sleeping in the same bed with another person makes it a little easier to bear, especially if you hold hands or touch throughout the night.

Pink and purple rodents of various sizes from panda mouse tiny to chihuahua-sized rats are still popping up all over the city. It seems the only place they aren't is where they're supposed to be - Ainea's temple - and that's a big problem. While many have been returned thanks to the offworlders' efforts, Ainea's temple priests are still out in the city, begging residents both robotic and flesh to peacefully and carefully capture the creatures and return them home to the temple. They pass out soft woven reed baskets to any who agree and thank all participants heartily for their help.

❥ PROMPT II: We Didn't Start This Fire

Throughout the month, pockets of the city experience magnificent dry lightning storms. Before each onset of the storm, an immense clap of thunder booms across the entire city like a siren and the natives hold their figurative breaths until the first strike rains down. A peal of lightning, searing hot, strikes the ground or hits the spires of nearby buildings, cracking stone and leaving nasty burn marks behind. Each storm is only 4 to 5 minutes in length before they suddenly disappear again, but in those few minutes chaos reigns. For anyone unlucky enough to get caught amid one of these storms, take cover! Residents throw open doors and push people inside, even shielding the offworlders with their own bodies if necessary to keep them from getting harmed.

When the lightning and its sonorous booms pass, residents scurry out to repair the damage. They'll be asking nearby offworlders to help as well with patching the stonework or removing broken debris. Most importantly, they put out a call for help in putting out fires that spring up after each storm. Their metal bodies can't withstand the heat for long without melting and the water is dangerous to their circuitry. After the fires are put out and the damage repaired, on occasion, residents will ask for the somber help of pulling a native robot unlucky enough to take a direct hit from the lightning to a local repair shop. Strangely, the natives don't seem sad when their friends and family can't be repaired, and instead start gathering up objects from home to take with them to the temples along with the bodies. When asked, they say it's to pray for a rebirth and go on their way.

❥ PROMPT III: Let's Play the Friend Connection

With all the craziness going on, some people might just want a distraction. A lot of Havenwell's natives certainly seem to think so. Despite everything, the Entertainment District is as bustling as ever and this month the offering is to participate with a friend or group of friends to play a game called: Friend Connection. Rather than the usual plug in and sit configuration, this time the VR cafes have been reorganized into 3 meter by 3 meter square pads with no chairs or furniture available. Players plug in or put their helmets on and they're instantly transported to a garish neon-lighted stage with multicolored spotlights that show a floating, legless robot with a rainbow bowtie and a magnificent mustache. The robot's LED face lights up into the approximation of the :D emote and then a disembodied voice comes from speakers overhead:

"Hail, well met, and welcome to the hottest game show around: Friend Connection! As the studio audience already knows, this game is simple! You and your new friends compete to complete more challenges than the other hidden team. The more fabulously you and your team completes each task, the more points you'll be awarded. At the end of the game, the team with the most tasks cleared and the highest point value will be declared the winners and take home some fabulous prizes. On today's team is..."

And the robotic host waves an arm to a scoreboard behind it, showing your names. The heading "Other Team" has ???? underneath it and a list of challenges is revealed along with a burst of applause. The list reads:

1. Play Twister until someone falls! The longer you go, the more points you win!
   
2. Help each other do a handstand! The Wheelbarrow is acceptable too.
   
3. Recreate your favorite scene from a romantic movie. Take, for example, That Scene from the hit movie, Skytanic! Or hum along to this song as you and your friend make some pottery together.
   
4. Create a complicated Best Friend Handshake consisting of more than 5 moves and do it together 3 times without messing up!
   
5. Answer trivia questions about each other and your worlds while holding hands and staring into each other's eyes. The more questions you can answer, the higher your points!
   
6. Do a trust fall into your friend's arms. The higher or further you fall, the more points you'll earn.
   
7. Play two truths and a lie with your friend. If you can guess correctly, you'll earn points for your team!

Are you ready, contestants? You have 20 minutes. Good luck!

At the end of the game, the characters are declared the winners by a slim and, naturally, exciting margin of just one point! And their fabulous prize......? The friendship they earned along the way! Congratulations, players! And don't worry, when the game ends, you'll be in the exact weird position you were last in as the helmets turn off. Hopefully you aren't still in those weird Twister positions because everyone can and has been able to see you. Yup, the entire time.

❥ PROMPT IV: Comic Logic

Although Achtom is waning and Ohnir beginning, Diacht's influence is still going strong. Throughout their day as they go about their daily routines, helping people out or trying to find their missing items, the natives stop looking at them and start looking above their heads. In fact, as characters meet one another, their attention may also be drawn vertically above their companion because floating above every offworlder's head is a faint white cloud. Whenever they move, the cloud moves too. Attempts to dispel it by magic or physical means does nothing and it seems like you can't touch it at all.

It's annoying isn't it? Or maybe you're feeling quite curious about this phenomenon? Or maybe it scares you? Whatever you're feeling or thinking, it shows up in that cloud clear as day. It's not every thought or feeling that shows and attempts to control what appears fails, but you're now broadcasting your innermost self to the world.

For a time at least. Smart characters might notice that after prolonged physical contact with another character, the cloud fades away and stays away for an undetermined amount of time. Sometimes it's an hour, sometimes it's a day, sometimes it's only 5 minutes, and then it begins to reform again. Whatever it is, it's here to stay, so good luck keeping your secret inner workings, well, secret.

❥ PROMPT V: Buddy System

With all the changes going on, it might be hard to be a new arrival to Havenwell. The natives understand! Sort of. When new arrivals begin to appear at the temples, receive the welcome speech, get their communicators and the simple map of the city, they get taken to the front of the temple by a helpful robotic priest. Rather than turn the newcomers loose right away, they pull someone seemingly at random off the street and push the two people together with a cheerful, "Here's your guide to Havenwell! It's dangerous to go alone, so be buddies!" before going back inside. They try to place a new arrival with one of those who previously arrived, but who can keep track of all that, right? Characters may find themselves thrown together with an actual veteran or with another new arrival who only came here a day or even just an hour before them! Good luck helping each other out, offworlders, and don't lose your buddy!

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Have fun however you like with the setting! Make a network post, make up other prompts based on the general setting, go wild. Havenwell is your oyster.

This TDM is for the September application round. If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread below. The reservation round begins on August 30, 2019 at 10:00PM EST and our applications will run from September 2, 2019 to September 9, 2019 from 10:00PM EST to 10:00PM EST.

♥ Taken Characters ♥ Reservations ♥ Applications ♥

Comments

i

[scourgingstars]

-please leave me alone, I swear I've absolutely nothing to give you-!

[Said the distressed not-yet-Chancellor of Niflheim, wearing simple shades of white and with far longer violet hair tied back a bit messily. It seemed as though he was trying very carefully to step around a small mob of rodents that had gathered around him, one of which seemed quite content to hitch a ride on his head.]

I'm carrying nothing remotely edible, so I've no idea what you could want!

[wifeacle]

[She will not laugh at this poor man's misfortune. She will not. She will -

Okay, so she is. But she's polite enough to hide it behind he hand.

Glancing down, she gives a soft nod to Pryna, before gesturing towards the mob of rats that had decided to swarm said not-yet-Chancellor.

Congrats, Ardyn, you are being saved by a little fluffy white dog running in and breaking up the rodent party.]

It's a shame you didn't have anything for them. They seemed quite fond of you.

[scourgingstars]

[why this]

Apparently so. They're a common sight around the temple, I-

[Ardyn blinked as he looked over to Luna, then blinked again.]

Sorry, I....have we met?

[wifeacle]

[Because it's just your lot in life to have to deal with sassy oracles, Ardyn.]

We have. Although I would not blame you for not remembering me.

[He certainly looks... less like a walking disaster.]

I am Lunafreya Nox Fleuret.

[scourgingstars]

Oh--oh! [He scrambled to collect himself into a bit less of a foundering mess, pushing his hair back out of his face with a valiant attempt at something almost a smile.]

Noctis mentioned your name briefly, I...knew your ancestor. I'd never imagined I might have a chance to meet you myself.

[wifeacle]

[It's a very valiant attempt indeed. And she rewards it with a soft smile of her own. One that only brightens at the mention of Noctis.]

Did he? Well, I certainly hope it was in a pleasing light.

[Although, he did mention knowing Aera, so there was probably no coming back from that.]

[scourgingstars]

You sounded fairly important to him, though it was just a mention in passing. It's a pleasure to meet you, even if it seems you already know me in some respect.

[wifeacle]

It was only briefly. Ardyn, is it not? It's a pleasure to see you again.

[scourgingstars]

Ardyn Lucis Caelum, yes. Have you been here particularly long?

[wifeacle]

[Well that's.

Unexpected.]

Please forgive me but are you by any chance related to Noctis in some way?

[scourgingstars]

[He tilted his head slightly, uncertain--hadn't she said they'd met briefly? Odd that she wouldn't know his last name.]

Ah--in a sense, technically? It's a bit complex...in the more modern era my brother's known as the 'Founder King'. So you could say Noctis is my nephew some many generations apart.

...That sounds quite mad, doesn't it.

[wifeacle]

[Well you see, in the future, you kind of lose your damn mind and start using a different last name.

But, well, she can't exactly hold things that may not have taken place yet against you.]

I have heard stranger things. I suppose that would make you my future uncle in law.

[scourgingstars]

[some people have their mid-life crisis a bit late]

Oh--well that's delightful, my congratulations to the pair of you.

[wifeacle]

[Some people are late bloomers it's fine.]

Thank you. Perhaps you might have some tips for me on how to properly deal with him.

[scourgingstars]

Ah, I wish I could. I'm afraid I'd scarce know where to even begin, you've a fair bit of work ahead.

[wifeacle]

So it would seem. Hopefully I will be up to the task.

[Spoiler alert: She probably isn't.]

Do you think you will be alright now? I would hate to leave you only to have you swarmed again.

[scourgingstars]

I think I can contend with the latest menace. Please forgive me for having troubled you, my lady.