TEST DRIVE 004

[phantasmods]

Hello and welcome to the fourth test drive for Phantasmal Rift!

Test drive threads are assumed to be game canon for accepted characters unless otherwise noted, so don't feel like you'll have to introduce yourself a second time to everyone you meet! As an added bonus, participation in the test drive comes with the chance to earn up to two items of loot for your trouble! Characters who are accepted can earn one item for having a top level, and one for tagging out to someone else's top level! Your SWEET LOOT will be included with your acceptance notice.

Additionally, characters currently in game can earn themselves a piece of bonus loot for the dungeon by tagging people's top-levels on the test drive! Existing characters get their bonus loot along with the rest of their loot at the conclusion of the dungeon.

This test drive takes place in Keystone Reef, a water-influenced Fissure to the northeast of the station. It is home to numerous fish and coral species, as well as a very interesting magical effect...

OPTION ONE: FINNY FUN

Under the water is where you woke up, and under the water is where you might be stuck for a while. The magic is lodged in you and has changed your form -- maybe a little, maybe a lot. Perhaps you only have gills, but you may also have a full set of changes, fins and no feet to speak of. Don't panic, you'll surely be fine if you just keep swimming...

Aside from the strange changes, it's a pretty cool place to be. If you've ever dreamed about scuba diving on a coral reef, the place that you've found yourself is perfect for that (minus the needing to scuba part). Curious fish swim up and then dart away into rock crevices, coral growths, and even down to bury themselves in the layer of sand at the bottom. The water is also fairly shallow, allowing you to surface if you so desire.

Even the sharks are friendly and just want to have as much a look at you as you want to look at them. Don't harass the glowing eels tucked into cracks between the rocks, though, they bite and don't particularly let go.

OPTION TWO: WORLD'S SMALLEST JUNGLE

This must certainly be an oceanside jungle - in spite of the humidity, the smell of salt on the air is strong. Brilliant greens and the occasional bright flowers, accompanied by island birdsong... It could be a nice place to spend an afternoon. There's not even that many bugs that want to drink your blood (though bugs in general are, well, quite plentiful).

Eventually, though, however far you go, you'll reach the beach and be met with the expanse of the ocean - blue, uncaring, and real big. While one side of the little island thankfully has land visible in the distance, the outer side just overlooks a near-endless expanse of blue. If you're a very good swimmer, you could probably make your way to land past the rocks of the reef itself... Otherwise, though, you might be just a bit stuck on your jungle island paradise.

At least until someone brings a boat.

OPTION THREE: SHIPWRECK

Both above and below the waterline are the remains of ships crashed upon the rocks, just waiting to be explored. Even though it has clearly been an incredibly long time, the chunks of wood and metal are still in fairly good condition, and the chance of finding something nice tucked in with them among the rocks is surely tempting to anyone with an adventurous spirit.

The wrecks beneath the waves also grow coral and seaweed, and provide havens for larger fish, dragon eels, and sharks. Those along the rocks above the waterline, on the other hand, provide a home for seabirds of all varieties. Most notable is the hulking shell of a shipping craft in the distance, looking very much modern if ruined by some centuries of exposure...

For right now, though, you'd best contend with the flotsam a bit closer to you, and the wildlife that might not take too kindly to your exploring. Below the waterline, the dragon eels found in a few places don't take kindly to being disturbed; above, you might run afoul of some overprotective seabirds protecting their nests. Maybe even an invisible seagull (normal sized) - how ridiculous would that be?

Comments

Keva Recrie | Original

[rebelliousdragon]

i. Under Da Sea

[Perhaps he looks as though he belongs in the sea - a merman with long light blue hair and a silver tail swimming through the water with relative ease. Eyes match the color of that tail, able to see in the darker parts of the ocean without accidentally stumbling on something too dangerous. Despite having woken up here with half of his body transformed, Keva isn't panicking at all.

Supernatural creatures are common where he's from... hell, Keva himself is one of those creatures though becoming a merman is relatively new. Still, scales are scales and he may be using some of his natural abilities to make navigating the water a bit easier.

Which is why when he sees someone having an altercation with the eels this blue and silver creature darts in as if it were nothing. A smack of his fin to the eels causes them to lose their grip and Keva's hand curls around the other person's arm.]

Let's get out of here while we can.

[His tail sweeps through the water only once and they both rocket away from the eels at an impressive speed for such minimal action. It may not be the intended use of Keva's gravity-defying abilities but it works well anyway. Now that neither of them are in danger of being attacked by the eels, he brings them to a stop.]

Are you okay?

ii. beneath the shelter of the trees

[One would think that with the humidity, all of Keva's long hair would make him extremely hot as he crashes through the thick jungle greenery but it's the least of his issues. Instead, he seems to be having trouble not tripping over thick tree roots or underbrush while making his way towards the open sand and bright blue ocean. There are sticks and leaves stuck in it but he's too busy mumbling unhappily under his breath to stop and pick them out.]

Gods, I miss the city. I'd rather deal with too much traffic than so much wilderness. [Those are typically what his complaints tend to be about. He may also be muttering something about flying but would be difficult to hear it all.

Eventually - finally - he reaches the beach and runs out into the open space free of all the thick greenery. Keva races down towards the water with one hand pointing out at the island in the distance.]

We could make it there in no time! Flying that far would be so easy!

[As he says it, a pair of large dark blue wings seem to appear out of nowhere from Keva's shoulderblades. His shirt magically doesn't rip but somehow parts in the precise area where the wings connect to his body. The appendages spreading wide and look very much like a bat's except for the color. These wings are huge and look to be capable of supporting a person his size.

For all his moaning and groaning earlier, Keva looks downright ecstatic now as he turns back.]

Come on! If we leave now, we can make it there before dark!

[motherfucking_ghost]

Orrrr murder games!

[motherfucking_ghost]

No, no I'm not, you've met worse imbeciles than me.

[burninglight]

I have.

But you're entirely unique in all the endless universes. Do you know why?

[giltfoil]

[The sound of a familiar voice does attract Ravus's attention, and he turns (somewhat awkwardly) and swims toward it, his metal arm making him list slightly to one side despite his best efforts.]

Scientia? Is that you?

[At last, someone he can trust to Know what is Going On.]

What is this place?

[giltfoil]

...What.

[Ravus.exe has stopped running. System processing...

Loading //anger.]

If this is some kind of a joke, I'll -

[He doesn't know what he'll do. If it's a joke, it's still Ardyn. If it isn't...what could he possibly do?]

Re: 1

[have_hat_will_travel]

About the same as a bunch of us: Kill time until we're ready to investigate an unstable zone, go in with stabilizing devices the robots made, and stabilize some of it to better secure the overall space around us.

Research and stuff is also a thing... And rescuing people who have been pulled into the affected areas.

[misanthropicprinciple]

Jesus, that sounds like an awesome way to develop me into the universe's next deranged death game master. We all gotta start somewhere, right?

[have_hat_will_travel]

Most spell names where I'm from are functional like that. There's a lot of backend crap I'm doing in my head to make the actual spell work.

Some of my Avowed abilities have fancier names, but even those are kinda plain by nature.

... Never really thought about my world's magic being boring until now...

[motherfucking_ghost]

Cuz I'm married to you?

[have_hat_will_travel]

... I-is Teepo a construct?

[Pidonus blinks. Because, yeah, without magic or other weirdness, being able to reliably talk underwater is kinda unusual for typical living creatures.

... That does leave at least Monstrous Humanoids, Abberrations, and Undead type if she's wrong, though. Maybe Fey? She'd need to check.]

[burninglight]

I was thinking 'because you're mine', but that's just a matter or phrasing.

[giltfoil]

Perhaps not quite as lost; you were at least on the sea, while I was nowhere near it.

You speak Tenebraean? [The language he just switched to, Juliette will recognize as French (or whatever she calls the language she just dropped a phrase in).]

[founderinglight]

I would not joke about such a thing. Matters of the Ring are serious enough that I take them seriously, regardless of anything else.

Though should you need more proof -

[He swims just a bit forward, touching his hand to the flat of the blade of the Sword of the Father. Immediately, it lights up and there's the typical burst of Royal Arms doing the spinny circle thing - and though the physical blade remains solid in Ravus' hand, there's a brief moment where the weight of it is less as a light-formed image of it lifts and shoots into Izunia's chest before appearing among the rest of his meager selection (greatsword, an unfamiliar rapier, the crossbow and... a deck of cards?)

Proof enough of at least his family line established, Izunia drops back before they wind up in a tangle caused by wandering stray tentacles.]

Thank you for that, it's one less I need bargain from my brother or Noctis.

[motherfucking_ghost]

Still yours either way. [preen]

[have_hat_will_travel]

Not a lot, far as I know; you'll wanna chat with the station staff for updates, but I figure they're sensible enough to update people if they get really good info on that front.

Good choice, worrying about your friends, though. I don't know if we're 'pulled out' where we disappear, or it's some kind of timey-wimey thing.

[... It makes her wish she honestly had friends back home.]

... I know that if it's disappearance, my Queen is definitely worrying about me.

[... Probably only in annoyance, not that she can even think that.]

[burninglight]

Damn right. [Plap went the end of a tentacle right on the tip of Church's nose.]

Mine.

[motherfucking_ghost]

I wouldn't trust anyone but you to handle the job.

[giltfoil]

That would be an accurate summary, yes. [He shows no signs of attempting to stab her in particular, though he would badly like to find something to stab. To relieve his feelings.]

I take it you have no more idea where my legs have gone? [Appearances aside, he's not accustomed to losing limbs. Much.]

[cyclicalconcept]

[hwyahwu butterflippers! She almost drops it.]

Aaah...phew. Ok...lemme try.

[This is a hoot to watch as she tries to crack hers open with her...um, stronk flippers]

Anren | Original

[soteriophobia]

ii. welcome to the jungle

[Wandering about the wilderness is exactly how Anren grew up so he's right at home in the jungle. Even though there's a sword at his hip, he doesn't use it to chop down branches and leaves that hinder his path. In fact, he's quite careful with the flora and ensuring it doesn't get too damaged. At least he's kind enough to not let it go and smack the person behind him in the face or other areas.

There are times when he has to stop and look at the flowers (but doesn't dare touch them) or peer around to find the bird making noise. Each time Anren looks at it as if he's never seen them before in his life. Which is partially true considering some of the plants and animals of Earth are only pictures on a screen to him. Still, he doesn't let his curiosity slow down the important task of finding a way off the island.

Only once they reach the beach does he stop and sigh.]

We should make camp here. Start a fire and see if we can attract attention to get a rescue. [Anren turns back to the jungle.]

I'll catch us something to eat if you'll gather some wood for the fire.

iii. ship in a bottle

[While Anren knew how to swim, his skills in that area weren't as good as they could have been and so he remains firmly rooted on the ruined ship. Despite his obvious avoidance of the deeper waterfilled parts of the ship, he moves through the wreckage with relative ease. He's surefooted on the rocking ship with a hand resting on the hilt of his sword as though waiting for something to spring out at them.

There's a shift in the air and he stops immediately, waiting poised for something. A hand comes up to his mouth to indicate that they should remain silent and gestures ahead. Anren starts moving again, with a lot more stealth than he previously had been. Though it doesn't appear as if there's anything dangerous about.

Unfortunately, it doesn't help when the wood creaks underneath - protesting the shift of weight. Another shift in the air except it continues on until something dives down from above... something invisible. There's the sound of fluttering wings and angry seagull noises but no other sign of the attacker. Anren's hand reaches out to grasp the other person with him around the wrist.]

Run! [Instantly he's moving forward, pulling the other along behind him - not willing to just leave them behind to fend for themselves.]

[giltfoil]

[Ardyn refusing to fight is one thing - he is generally deft at doing so - but him doing so outright, without even a little flourish to demonstrate how futile an action attempting to injure him would be? That's wrong enough that, while Ravus in no way lowers his sword, he doesn't swing it yet.]

What game are you playing now? Is this all your doing?

[burninglight]

No, I have nothing to do with this. And I'm not playing at a damn thing anymore.

[motherfucking_ghost]

[He can't help but laugh. Dinner and a show!]

Oh...shit, I did not think that one through! Need a hand? A, uh, a real hand, with fingers and thumbs and everything?

[motherfucking_ghost]

[The noise he makes is a very undignified one. Thankfully Church is not one for having a whole lotta dignity to start with, and he fwips the end of his tail to Ardyn's nose, too.

Or his...general face area. Close enough.]